Always
by Pirate Gyrl
Summary: What if Jackson got a call telling him the hit was off?  What if he was told to stay by Lisa until they needed her again?  How would their relationship change?  Rating may change later.  JxL
1. Change of Plans

**AN: **I would like to say that the title to this story was inspired by Saliva's song "Always". If you haven't listened to it, you should. For some reason I feel like it fits Red Eye perfectly.

Always

**Chapter One: Change of Plans**

"Wait a minute." He turned to her, a look of complete and utter seriousness written on his face. "You're not stalking me are you?"

She jerked back and shook her head slightly. "No." she replied, her voice small.

Jackson stared at her a moment more, drinking in the tiny fear flickering in her eyes. Finally, he laughed to ease the tension

After realizing he was only joking, Lisa smiled. "You got me," she replied, looking away.

Jackson laughed again. "I'm sorry," he said, smiling to himself at his joke.

They stayed silent for a moment, Jackson staring straight ahead as Lisa rubbed the back of her head. "Oh jeez."

Jackson turned to her, a look of concern flitting across his face. "Are you alright?"

"If I say yes are you going to ask me if I'm sure?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"No. No. That's your dad's department," he responded, laughing gently.

Lisa nodded slowly. "Yeah I'm fine. I . . ." she paused for a moment, attempting to read anything in his ice-blue eyes. "Earlier today I had some cheap wine at the funeral, and combined with the cheap vodka . . ."

"I see."

Lisa smiled at him. "I blame you for that part." She teased.

"Well, I feel terrible now."

She gave him a knowing look, a smile attempting to cross her face. "You should."

"Oh, I do." He replied and then laughed slightly, his mind drifting slowly away to watch the other passengers file slowly in.

* * *

The phone rang in the silence of the cabin, causing Lisa to look up from the magazine she was perusing. She laughed slightly. "Well, you are popular."

Jackson laughed sheepishly and yet, Lisa noticed, the laugh did not reach his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, reaching quickly to unclip the phone from his belt.

"No, it's okay."

He looked at the number on the phone, an odd look crossing his face. "It isn't usually like this."

_Sure it isn't_, she thought. "No. Go ahead." Lisa replied, turning back to the magazine in her lap.

Smiling again, Jackson hit the talk button and placed the phone to his ear. "Hey. What's up? Yeah," he paused and glanced at Lisa from the corner of his eyes. "No, it's okay. Uh huh. What do you mean they-? Uh huh," He paused again, rubbing his chin with his left hand. "Okay. Got it."

Lisa tried to pay attention to her magazine, tried to ignore anything he was saying. His words were smooth, as they had been in the airport bar. His arm would brush hers every now and then as he talked, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. Her eyes glanced at him for a moment, taking in the way his blue eyes stared unseeingly at the seat in front of him as he listened to the person on the other side of the phone.

He had the most amazing eyes, she noticed. They were the brightest blue she had ever seen. And yet it seemed as if there was something hidden deep within them; something she could not quite place . . .

* * *

"Hey. What's up?"

"Are you on the plane?" the voice on the other side asked. "Is she next to you? Should I let you go?"

"Yeah," Jackson replied, pausing to glance at Lisa from the corner of his eyes. "No, it's okay."

"Good. There's been a change in plans."

Jackson felt his heart skip a beat at the voice's words but kept his expression stoic. "Uh huh."

There was a pause and Jackson could hear papers being shuffled in the background. "It's been called off. The client called off the hit."

Irritation welled up in Jackson's chest, filtering through to his words when he spoke. "What do you mean they-?"

"Just listen," the voice snapped. "They may have called it off but we think they'll change their minds again. We want you to stay by her."

"Uh huh," he replied simply, rubbing his chin with his left hand, feeling the two day old stubble beneath his fingers.

"Do whatever you feel is necessary but do it right. Got it?"

"Got it," he replied, irritation sweeping over him again.

"Good. We'll be in touch." The voice said and then a moment later the phone clicked, signaling the call was over.

Exasperated, Jackson pulled the phone from his ear and turned it off. He didn't have time for this shit. It was supposed to be a simple job. Get in. Get out. What the _fuck _was the client thinking? Schooling his voice and expression, he gave a slight smile as he placed the phone back in its place on his hip. "Work. For the last time."

"Ah," Lisa replied, still looking at the in-flight magazine. "Are you on a business trip?"

Jackson almost laughed at the irony of her question. "Something like that."

Lisa finally looked up and noticed that his gaze was still locked on the seat in front of him. "Do you live in Miami?"

Jackson almost laughed again. What a stupid question. "Um, yeah. For now."

Lisa could see a flicker of irritation well up in his eyes before he quashed it. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't mean to pry."

Jackson finally looked at her, dragging his gaze from the boring blue fabric of the chair. It wouldn't do to push her away now. "No. It's okay. It's just been a really long week." He replied. _It's been a really fucking long eight weeks._

Lisa nodded. "I understand. Work follows you everywhere."

He looked at her, drinking in her features. She always looked so sad. Even when she smiled it was as if she blockaded off all emotions to be more distant from anyone who tried to approach her. _What made her this way?_ He wondered. He would have to find out.

* * *

The plane had only just begun to take off. As predicted, and as the Captain had warned, turbulence shook the cabin. Jackson turned to look at Lisa when he felt her arm brush his. Her hand gripped the armrest, her knuckles turning white at the pressure of her grip. Her eyes were clenched shut, her face set in a perpetual grimace. He could see her forcing herself to breathe and to remain calm.

"So," he began, "what do you do at the Lux Atlantic?" he asked, feigning interest.

Lisa did not answer at first. "Um . . . I was recently promoted to manager. I deal with reservations. I handle guests and staff," she paused as the plane gave a particularly hard jerk, a small whimper escaping from her throat. "The usual things."

Jackson nodded. "How long have you lived in Miami?"

"Since I was twelve. We moved from Texas because my dad's job relocated him."

"And are your parents still married?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"No," she responded, her breathing coming a little easier. "They divorced three years ago; married for thirty-two."

"Wow."

"Yeah. The bad outweighed the good at the end. Mom just couldn't take anymore so she left."

A sympathetic look crossed his face. "I'm sorry."

The plane gave one last tremble and then settled. Lisa opened her eyes slowly and released the death grip from the arm rest. "It's okay. It was for the best," she smiled weakly. "Thank you for distracting me."

Jackson smiled, the expression still not reaching his eyes. "You're welcome. It's the least I can do," he paused, pursing his lips slightly. "Or I can let you pay me back by buying me a drink when we get back to Miami."

Her smile faltered for a second and then widened. "I think I will."

"As long as you don't have any calls to make," he joked.

Lisa laughed. "That's right. No calls."

* * *

The rest of the flight passed in comfortable conversation. While Jackson, Lisa discovered, did not talk much about his job (only that he was a manager of a company called ­­­United Securities, a company which specialized in security systems), he was still pleasant company. Whatever secrets he had were his own. Who was she to judge him on his secrets when she had her own dark ones hidden desperately away? That was something that they had in common.

"Do you like your job?" Lisa asked abruptly, wishing the words back the minute they left her mouth.

Startled, Jackson turned to her and almost burst out laughing at the look of embarrassment stretched across her face. Instead he settled for a gentle chuckle. "It pays the bills," he answered simply.

"What do you do on your time off?" she asked, finding that once the ball got rolling she couldn't stop it.

Jackson scratched his cheek, contemplating a good answer. "Hmm. That's a tough one. Normal stuff I suppose. Go to the movies, read. Have drinks with a pretty woman," he replied, staring pointedly at her with his flashing blue eyes.

Lisa felt a flush cross her cheeks at his words. "Well, um. Yeah. That's normal." She smiled. "And were you in Dallas for business or pleasure?"

"A little bit of both," Jackson smirked. "What about you?" Before she could respond, he clarified, "What do you do in your time off?" _As if I don't already know. Fucking boring, _he thought.

"Oh, you know. Watch movies, read. The hotel takes up a lot of my time, so I don't really get out that much."

_What a lie, Leese._

"Maybe we'll have to do something about that," he responded, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Lisa smiled slightly in response. This was definitely going to be an interesting flight.

* * *

**AN: **I hope you liked it. This is my first foray into the Red Eye universe so I hope I did everything okay. Please review and let me know what you think! I'm always happy to hear what readers think! 


	2. The Fantasy

Always

**Chapter Two: The Fantasy**

Lisa's eyes jerked open as she felt the tires of the plane hit the pavement of the airport runway. She hadn't even realized that she had fallen asleep. She ran a hand groggily through her disheveled hair slowly, rubbing the sleepiness away. She was startled when her hand hit something soft resting behind her head. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she clutched at the object and pulled it into her lap. _A pillow?_

"You looked uncomfortable," a voice said to her left, causing her to jump. She had completely forgotten where she was.

"Oh, um, thank you," she replied, turning her head to look at Jackson. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

He laughed gently. "No, it's okay. You had a long day. It's understandable."

She smiled. "I didn't realize I was so tired. It just kind of hit me."

"You weren't asleep that long. And we've landed so you're harrowing flight is now over."

Lisa's smile widened. "Thank goodness."

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice over the intercom started, "on behalf of the entire Fresh Air crew, we welcome you to Miami. The weather is a warm seventy-nine degrees and sunny. If this is your first trip to Florida we hope you enjoy your stay. If you are returning home, we welcome you back."

Lisa sighed in relief, reaching to unlock the seatbelt around her waist. Finally it was over.

* * *

Jackson was elated once he was able to leave the plane. His legs had begun to cramp an hour into the flight and he wasn't able to stretch them. He was thankful he hadn't brought any luggage; the faster he could get off of the plane the happier he would be. He stood up first, opening the overhead compartment and pulling Lisa's suitcase out quickly. She looked up at him, a surprised smile crossing her lips. Jackson felt a twinge in his stomach but quickly pushed it aside. This was a job, nothing more.

"Thank you," Lisa said, stepping quickly in front of him, her hand reaching to take the suitcase from him.

Jackson almost jumped as her fingers gently brushed his when she reached for the handle. He felt the twinge again, but shoved it away once more. The blonde haired woman that had been sitting in front of them smiled back at him. Jackson had to suppress a wince as he caught her eye.

"I'm sorry," Blondie began. "But I promise this is the last time."

Jackson merely smiled and slipped past Lisa, his leg brushing against hers. _I wonder if I could kill this woman without anyone noticing, _he wondered, and then thought better of it. There would be no use bringing attention to the plane. He didn't need people unnecessarily snooping around and asking questions that didn't concern them. With jaw clenched, Jackson stretched up again, taking out Blondie's suitcase quickly. She took it from him, her fingers staying on his for a second too long. He concealed a shudder at her touch, merely smiling as he extricated his fingers from hers.

Jackson stepped back into place behind Lisa, giving her an uncomfortable smile. He could tell Lisa was laughing when her shoulders began to shake. Jackson watched as she laughed, almost wishing that he could see her face at that moment; almost wishing that he could see the way the laughter would light up her eyes. _Get a hold of yourself, _he thought angrily. _She's just a job._

The line began to move. He could hear sighs of relief echo around him and he scowled. If he kept up thoughts like that, if he kept looking at her the way he did, then he was going to start getting too close and he was _not _about to risk his career for a fucking girl.

His thoughts trailed to when she had fallen asleep. Jackson had watched her for awhile, taking in her easy breathing. Her hair had fallen across her cheek, hiding her closed eyes. Jackson had reached out without thinking, brushing the soft strands away from her face. He had jerked his hand back seconds later as if it had been burned. He had forced his gaze away while she was sleeping, forced himself to stop watching her. It wasn't going to do him any good. But still, he hadn't been able to resist placing the small pillow behind her head.

Jackson turned his attention back to the line as a warm air hit him. He hadn't even realized they had walked so far. He was so close to the exit. He was so close to finally being able to partially separate himself from her tempting smell. His colleague's voice rang in his mind. _Do whatever you think is necessary. _Maybe, just maybe, he didn't have to separate himself from her. Maybe he could still do his job and be near her. He could make her trust him; make her see him as a better person than he was. The better it would be to get her in the end.

The noise of the airport startled him from his reverie. Once again he had let his mind wander too far away and let his surroundings slip by him. He silently cursed himself for not paying better attention to what he was doing. A man caught his eye as he walked among the exiting passengers. Graying hair topped his head, a pair of thin glasses rested lightly on his nose. Jackson scowled. _What the hell is he doing here?_ He wondered. Seconds later his question was answered.

"Lisa!" a male voice called out.

Jackson and Lisa turned at the same time, both having completely different reactions. A smile lit Lisa's face as recognition hit her while a scowl lit Jackson's. His gaze shot to the man he had seen in the crowd. With one last look back at Lisa, he slipped away, merging with the other returning passengers. He strode past the taller man, jerking his head to the left slightly, indicating the man should meet him elsewhere. The man didn't give any response as Jackson knew he wouldn't.

Minutes later Jackson stood in the men's restroom staring at himself calmly in the streaked mirror. His brown hair hung in his face slightly, almost hiding his crystalline blue eyes. He was leaning against the sink ledge, breathing slowly, inhaling the slight smell of cleaning fumes. He had checked the bathroom the moment he had gone in, making sure no one else was there to overhear their conversation. The door to the tiled bathroom was around a corner, hidden from his view but not so far away that he wouldn't hear the door open should someone decide to come in.

His ears pricked up as he heard the door open. A soft click sounded seconds later, indicating that someone had locked the door from the inside. Jackson turned around slowly and watched as the other man sauntered in.

"Rippner," the man said, leisurely taking off his glasses and wiping them with a small square of silky cloth.

"Bane."

"Cuttin' it a little close aren't we?"

Jackson closed his eyes, sighing. "It's been called off."

"So we're not doin' it?"

Jackson shrugged. "Don't know yet. They told me to stick by her in case we need to use her again."

Bane nodded. "Should I stick by the old man?"

"No," Jackson replied after a moment. "I don't think that's necessary. I'll be by her. I don't think we'll need to use her father as leverage."

Bane nodded again. After a moment, he replied, "We're still gettin' paid for this shit, right?"

Jackson almost laughed. Bane was always concerned about the money. Every job for him was just another pay day. "As far as I know. Look, just leave it to me. It'll be taken care of."

"Right." Bane responded. "I'll leave you to it then."

Seconds later, Jackson was alone, leaning against the sink. He had work to do. He jerked up as a thought hit him. "Shit. Lisa." With that, he bolted out of the bathroom.

* * *

Lisa walked next to her father, her eyes still searching the crowds. Jackson had just disappeared after they had left the plane. She had been distracted when her father had called out to her and when she turned around again, he was gone. _So much for that drink,_ she thought.

"So how was your flight?"

"Hmm? Oh, it was good. There was turbulence in the beginning, but I made it through," she answered, smiling.

Her father wrapped her in a one-armed hug. "That's good; I know how you hate to fly."

Lisa nodded silently. She didn't think it was necessary to tell him about Jackson. He would only get that concerned look on his face and ask her if she thought it was wise talking to strange men on the plane. That was her father for you. "I thought you said you lost your wallet," Lisa said, remembering the conversation they had had the night before.

"I did," he replied, waving her question away. "But I also told you that it was only five minutes and I would be happy to pick you up. If it upsets you that much I'll let you drive on the way home."

"Its fine, Dad. I just don't want you getting in trouble."

Joe Reisert flipped his hand in the air. "You worry too much, dear."

_That's the pot calling the kettle black,_ she thought. "I'm just ready to go to bed," she said. "I have today off and I think I'm going to sleep all day."

Joe laughed. "You do that sweetheart. Just make sure you call your mother to let her know you got home safely."

* * *

Lisa sat at her desk, her chair pushed back and her head resting on her arms. The day had been perfect; customers were polite, all of the associates had shown up, and she had even had time to go and pay a visit to Keefe. He was happy to see her, as he always was, and invited her to have lunch with him and his family. Lisa had declined politely, saying she had work to catch up on since she had had to leave in a rush for a family emergency. Keefe had smiled his understanding, telling her that if she changed her mind to just come on up.

But now here she was, sitting in her office at four in the afternoon, her head resting on her arms as she fought off a headache that threatened to make her head explode. And to make matters worse, the mystery man known as Jackson Rippner had not left her thoughts the entire week. Lisa wasn't even sure why. She had barely known him; had barely talked to him except for the brief time in the airport bar and the few minutes as they were taking off. There had just been something about him; something mysterious and, she admitted, totally appealing.

A sudden buzzing sound in her ear jerked her from her thoughts. She groaned. Lisa's brow furrowed as the buzzing continued. Finally she reached out blindly, her hand flailing for the phone next to her. She brought the phone to her ear, still keeping her head on one of her arms. "Lisa Reisert," she mumbled.

"Lisa? It's Cynthia," the perky red-head said. Lisa winced at her loud voice.

"What do you need?"

Lisa could hear her friend moving, presumably turning around so whoever it was she was helping couldn't hear her as she whispered, "There's a guy here to see you."

Lisa's eyes opened slowly, confusion entering them. "Who is it?"

"I don't know. He didn't say. But my God his eyes . . ."

Lisa jerked up at her words. "What about his eyes?"

"They are the brightest blue. I would not mind staring into them forever."

"I'll be there in a minute," Lisa said hurriedly. She hung up before Cynthia could reply. She placed her hands on her desk, her fingers splayed out wide. _Okay, Lisa,_ she thought, _you can do this._

Lisa pushed herself up slowly, her chair rolling back as she stood. She checked herself out once, smoothing down the creases in her skirt and then began to make her way from her office.

* * *

Jackson leaned against the front desk. He could hear the girl- Cynthia was her name- whispering into the phone. He chuckled to himself. He turned around as he heard the soft click of the phone being replaced on the base. Jackson gave her a charming smile, watching as her eyes widened slightly. "She'll be out in a minute," she said, smiling back at him.

"Thank you."

Jackson walked slowly away from the counter, his eyes scanning the crowd around the front hall. There were couples standing around, at least two of them newlyweds. He watched one couple as they walked away, their hands interlocked, smiles covering their faces. They seemed content, happy. Something he would never have.

He had followed Lisa for a couple days after they had landed, watching as she kept to her same old routine. Going to a funeral had to have been the most excitement she had had in years. Jackson was almost disappointed that she hadn't changed anything about her life.

"Mr. Rippner."

Jackson turned around, a small smile crossing his face. "Lisa," he said, familiarity entering his voice.

"This is a surprise. I didn't think I would ever see you again," Lisa replied, stopping just in front of him.

"Sorry about that. An associate of mine picked me up. You know how it is."

Lisa smiled in response. "Actually I do. My father showed up even when I told him not to."

He narrowed his eyes, a small, confused smile crossing his face. "Why?"

"Well," she answered, laughing lightly. "He lost his wallet. I told him not to pick me up, but you know how dads can be."

"Yeah, I do," he replied.

"Anyway. What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I was actually coming to collect on that drink."

Lisa stared at him for a moment and then smiled. "Oh. Yeah. Well," she paused. She pursed her lips slightly and turned to stare at the clock. "I don't get off for another hour, so . . ."

_She's stalling,_ he thought, attempting to hide the smile that was trying to force its way across his lips. _Oh Leese, you're not going to make this easy for me._

"I could always come back," he suggested, and then at the barely visible flinch in her eyes, continued, "Or we could meet somewhere. Have some dinner, a drink. You never know, it could be fun."

Lisa opened her mouth to reply and then shut it. She stared up into his eyes for a moment and then looked back at the front desk. Cynthia grinned at her and mouthed "Do it". She sighed. "Um, sure. Okay. That sounds great."

An honest, unguarded smile, one that even surprised him, crossed his face. "Great. So let's say The Fantasy at six?"

"Sure, I'll be there." Lisa replied, smiling hesitantly.

He smiled again. "I'll see you then."

Lisa smiled back and then watched as he turned away, walking quickly from the front hall.

* * *

Lisa sat in her car, staring up at the brick building in front of her. It was the normal brick color, a rusty red, almost blood colored, with palm trees surrounding the double doors. A large sign rested easily against the wall above the doors, The Fantasy written in dark letters. She leaned in closer, resting her arms and chin against the steering wheel, her eyes gazing up at the flashing sign. She felt a lump in her throat.

She hadn't done anything this bold in years. She didn't even know him. She didn't know a thing about him really. For all she knew he could be a cold blooded killer. _Oh, quit trying to talk yourself out of it,_ she told herself. _You've already agreed to go, so you may as well go. Try to have a good time; he seems like a nice enough guy. _Lisa stared up at the building again, a thousand thoughts running through her head. She was nervous, as well she should be, but yet another part of her was telling her to just go for it.

Cynthia had told her before she left not to over-think everything, to just let it all flow naturally. "You need to get out more," Cynthia had told her. "Go have some fun. Live life on the edge!"

Lisa laughed to herself at the remembered words. Then, with a sigh she pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened the door. With one last glance up at the restaurant, she swung her legs out of the car and slowly stood up. It was time to face the music.

* * *

**AN: **So? How was it? I hope all of you liked it. I was having some issues with it, but liked what came out. I would like to thank all of my reviewers! All of you made me so very happy when I read your reviews! It really made my day! 


	3. Nighttime Drinks

Always

**Chapter Three: Nighttime Drinks**

Lisa walked into the small restaurant, the mixed aromas of exotic food permeating the air hitting her nose. She inhaled briefly, enjoying the smell. For a moment she was glad she came. She had a feeling that the food was going to be delicious.

"May I help you miss?" a voice said to her right.

Lisa jumped slightly. "Oh, yes," she replied, turning to the girl standing next to her. "I'm here to meet someone. He's tall, brown hair, blue eyes."

The girl smiled knowingly. "Mm hmm. I know _exactly_ who you're talking about. He comes here a lot, but I've never seen him actually meet someone. He's over by the bar. You can't miss him."

"Thank you," Lisa replied, smiling slightly.

The girl nodded in response and turned away, smiling at the next person who came in. Lisa walked away, her eyes scanning the room. After a few moments she saw him. He was staring down at a drink in his hand, swirling the bronze liquid around slowly. Lisa smiled. He looked just like he had at the airport bar a week ago; almost dejected and depressed. Steeling her nerves and taking a deep breath, she walked up to the table.

"Hello," she greeted softly.

Jackson's head jerked up, a smile crossing his face immediately. "Hi. I didn't think you'd come."

Lisa pulled the chair out and sat down, placing her purse under her chair. "I told you I would," she replied.

"I know, but you know how it goes. People'll say something when they mean something else," he answered, shrugging.

"You won't have to worry about that with me," she said.

Jackson watched her for a moment, an unreadable expression crossing his face. Finally he smiled. "So, what'll you have?" he asked, waving a waiter over.

Lisa picked up the menu in front of her, perusing the drink listing quickly. "Oh, um, just a coke please."

The waiter nodded once and left, hurrying to fill the drink order. Lisa turned back to Jackson once the waiter left. He was still watching her, his blue eyes boring into hers. She grew unsettled as his gaze never wavered until she finally turned away. "So, um, is your job going okay?"

"Oh, oh yes. It's going fine. There are new developments every day."

"That's good."

Jackson smiled. "So, have you ever been here before?" He asked. "To The Fantasy I mean."

"Once. A couple years ago. It was my friend's birthday."

"And you haven't been back since?"

Lisa shook her head. "No."

"They've got great pasta," Jackson replied enthusiastically. "You should try it."

Lisa smiled in response. "Maybe I will," she answered, her natural guard lowering slightly.

* * *

Jackson glanced around the restaurant slowly, his eyes taking in the people around him. There were men sitting at the bar, all in various stages of drunkenness. He could hear them telling lewd jokes and laughing while the bartender smiled politely, obviously too used to people acting the way they were. There was a party sitting in a corner booth near the back of the store, sharing in the celebration of an older man's retirement party. They were at least kind enough to keep the noise to a minimum. An after hours business meeting was being conducted in the small enclosed room to the left of him and Lisa; thankfully the door to the room was closed as the conversation seemed to become heated at least a dozen times in the last hour. And directly behind Lisa were an older man and woman, eating their meal in silence, but sharing secretive looks that only they would understand. 

His attention turned back to Lisa as she picked at what was left on her plate. She had taken his suggestion and tried the pasta; wisely ordering the Grilled Chicken Alfredo, one of the best items on the menu. Jackson had smiled when the order first came in, Lisa's eyes widening at the large portion that the waiter had given her. He had asked her if it was good when she took the first bite but only received a look of pure rapture in answer as she savored the flavor. Lisa had offered him a bite after a while but he had respectfully declined, indicating his own dinner sitting in front of him.

Lisa looked up at him after a moment, sensing him watching her as she took the last bite. She pulled the fork from her mouth slowly and placed it in the china bowl. "Sorry," she said.

Jackson smiled. "For what?" he asked, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand.

She looked at him, a small, embarrassed smile playing on her lips. She pushed her hair behind her ear, drawing his attention to the slim lines of her neck. "I don't know," she finally replied.

Jackson pulled his eyes from the crook of her neck, cursing himself silently for staring at her for a beat too long. He always managed to get distracted when he looked at her, and he did not like being distracted. _Maybe this was a bad idea,_ he thought. Maybe getting too close to her was not what he should be doing. Maybe he should have just continued watching her from afar like he had been doing for the past two months. It would have been a hell of a lot easier if he had. But why should things ever be that easy? Hell, he liked challenges and that is exactly what this job was becoming. A challenge.

The waiter, who had only been by to check on them once since bringing them their food, appeared at the table. "Everything going okay here?" he asked, a forced smile on his face. It was obviously close to his shift being over.

Jackson looked at Lisa, his eyebrows raised slightly. She nodded. "Yes," he replied. "Everything's great."

"That's good. Can I get you anything else? Dessert? Another drink?"

"Nope, we're good."

"Okay, great. Then I'll be right back with your check."

Jackson watched him leave. "Do you think he's trying to get rid of us?" he asked.

"Maybe," Lisa replied. "He must be in a hurry."

"I'd have to agree. What say we get out of here and make his night a little better?"

Lisa nodded slowly. Jackson grinned inwardly. It almost seemed like Lisa did not want the night to end. The waiter returned with their check, letting them know he would return in a moment. Lisa reached for the thin black folder, but jerked her hand back as Jackson's hand shot out and grabbed it before she could. Her eyes met his, a question echoing in their depths. Jackson gave a placating smile. "It's on me."

"But I thought-"

"I invited you out; it's only right for me to pay for it."

"But I-"

Jackson shook his head. "You only owe me a drink," he paused, looking up from placing a few bills in the folder, leaving enough for the tab and a generous tip. "And I'm still holding you to that by the way."

He stood up slowly, scooting his chair out easily on the carpeted floor. He stepped up to her, offering her his hand. Lisa took it without thinking, allowing him to help her to her feet. They walked side-by-side through the restaurant, neither talking. At another bout of loud, raucous laughter from the men at the bar, Jackson turned his gaze to them, his blue eyes piercing. One man caught his eye, his drunken gaze leering at Jackson. He placed his hand softly on the small of her back, his fingers barely brushing her shirt. He would be damned if he was going to allow some drunk idiot to try something.

* * *

Lisa almost jumped as Jackson's hand touched her back. She hadn't expected it; she wasn't sure what to do now. Instead she willed herself to stay calm, willing herself to just ignore his hand. A loud laugh caught her attention, drawing her gaze to the crowd of men at the bar. One man stared at her, pursing his lips and blowing her a kiss. Lisa shivered and turned away. 

"Are you alright?" Jackson asked, feeling the shiver run down her back.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, turning her gaze to meet his.

His eyes flicked past her to the drinking men. "They're not going to do anything," he said. "They're just businessmen blowing off steam. Ignore them."

"They're not bothering me."

Jackson merely nodded.

They walked in silence again, both nodding their thanks at the hostess as they left. "I'm over there," Lisa said, pointing to her car towards the back of the lot. "Thank you for dinner. I had a great time."

"Why don't I walk you to your car; make sure you get there okay," he suggested.

Lisa's heart thumped in her chest as she stared up at him. "Oh, um, okay. Thank you."

Lisa tried to steady the beating of her heart, but found it almost impossible. He was so close; so close she could smell his aftershave on the cool night breeze, mixing in with the slight scent of the ocean. And for some reason his closeness did not bother her. For some reason it almost felt comforting. She could still feel his hand on her back as they walked; could still feel the slight pressure of his fingers touching her through her thin shirt.

Before she even realized it, they were by her car. Lisa reached into her purse blindly, her hand grasping for the keys. She finally grabbed them and then turned to face him. She took a quick step back as she found Jackson standing right next to her. Silently he stepped forward, closing the small distance between them. Lisa tried to step back again but found her back already against her car.

Lisa's heart beat faster as Jackson leaned in. She could feel his warm breath on her face. He cocked his head to the side slightly, his eyes staring into hers. Lisa lifted her chin a little unconsciously, her eyes never leaving his unnervingly blue eyes. She could feel another shiver trail down her spine as she stared into his bright eyes. His eyes flickered for a moment as he stared at her. She felt as if he were fighting with himself, having some inner argument with himself. "Good night," he finally whispered, and then turned away, heading for his own black car parked a few rows ahead.

Lisa slumped against her car as she watched him leave. Her heart still thumped in her ears. Finally she shook her head, clearing her mind. Without another look in his direction, Lisa stuck the keys in the car door and opened it, climbing into her small car.

* * *

Jackson sat in his car, his head resting against the headrest, his eyes closed. What was he doing? What the _hell_ was he doing? She was just a fucking job and nothing more. So why the hell was he trying to get so involved? His hands clenched into fists on the steering wheel as his mind ran over the events of the night. He had only slipped up once; staring at her for too long, staring at the soft curve of her neck. 

But the smell of her hair as the wind caught it had awakened something in him that he did not like. And he would not let it interfere with his job. "Fuck," he muttered.

The sound of a car starting behind him forced Jackson to open his eyes. He glanced in his rearview mirror, watching as Lisa started her car and slowly backed up, making her way through the small parking lot. He watched her leave the lot and then continued to watch until her car disappeared from view. He contemplated going after her, following her to her house and watching her throughout the night. If he did, he would be able to keep his eye on her, make sure nothing new happened. _Fat chance,_ he thought wryly. But it would also only feed into this obsessive-compulsive urge that he had been feeling and he did not want to take that risk.

A sudden yawn hit him, making him realize that he was more tired than he thought. True, he hadn't had much sleep in the last week; what with the client's calling off the hit and once again having to stick close to Lisa. Jackson glanced in the mirror again, staring at the darkened lot. Nothing would change in a few hours. He could easily make it to his home and sleep.

Yawning again, Jackson turned the key in the ignition, his car jumping to life immediately. With a weary mind and body, he made his way slowly from his parking spot and turned towards home.

* * *

**AN: **Yay! I'm back! I'm so glad that all of you like it so far. I was really worried at first that I wasn't keeping in character, but I'm glad that you think I am. I want to thank all of my reviewers for reading and letting me know what you thought: **Larnie**** Lovegood, Mystery GYRL, Mariabonita, Maria Gonzalez, VanillaLime, Dark Toy, jacksparrowluva12, mari, Kate, Niamh W **(you were totally right by the way. I am completely in love with PoTC!)**, Dawnie-7, FluidDegree.**

I hope all of you liked the chapter and that the 'date' was to your liking!


	4. Care for a Second?

**AN: **For those of you who may be upset that you didn't get a 'bathroom scene' from the movie, I hope this makes up for it!

I would also like to say thank you to **Mystery GYRL** for her wonderful beta-ing and her constant help for this story!

**Hey guys! Sorry about this. I had to re-submit this chapter because for some reason fanfic deleted part of the chapter! I had to fix it otherwise it wasn't going to be as good!**

Always

**Chapter Four: Care for a Second?**

Jackson stood still, silent, as the water fell over him. He tilted his head back slightly, feeling the spray of the shower hit his face. The shower was refreshing, rejuvenating even, and was helping to set his mind back in order. It helped to set his priorities straight.

He was going to have to tail her for awhile. The almost slip-up from the night before was not going to happen again. He had gotten too close to her; to Lisa. A scowl crossed his face at the thought of her. What was he going to do? He couldn't very well stay away from her; _she_ was his fucking job. He was getting paid to watch her; to stay close to her in case they needed her again.

So, now, his problem was deciding how close was going to be too close. Every time he was near her his heart would begin to pound. Jackson knew that he hadn't had to walk her to her car from the restaurant; knew that he could have easily watched her from his rearview mirror. But the strong desire to stay close to her had urged him on. And then it happened. The almost slip-up, the almost accident, the almost _mistake_.

"Shit," he muttered, leaning his back against the shower wall. He had to decide what to do.

Finally he picked up the small, white wash cloth and lathered it with soap. As he washed his skin, it was as if each brush of the cloth was purging him of his stress, of his irritations. Soon Jackson was no longer worried about what to do; he was no longer worried about anything.

And with a deep sense of satisfaction, he knew _exactly_ what he was going to do.

* * *

Lisa sat at the small table, sipping at her glass of White Zinfandel as Cynthia chattered away across from her. 

"So anyway," Cynthia said, "they totally bitched me out just because they couldn't get into the opera they wanted. I mean what was I supposed to do if the show was sold out!"

Lisa smiled sympathetically. She and Cynthia regularly stopped by The Blue Mirage after work to vent about irritating guests and life's problems. For the last week the guests had been kind, if not patient, and then all of a sudden the rude ones decided to make an appearance. Cynthia had had the majority of them, Lisa only receiving a few of the really nasty ones.

"I'm sorry Cynthia. Next time, just send them to me."

"You may not want to tell me that. I just might," Cynthia replied and then a smile lit her face. "You know, you never did tell me about your date the other night."

Lisa felt her face grow hot at her friend's words. "There's not much to tell. We went to dinner, and then we parted ways. It's as simple as that."

"Oh come on! There had to have been more! Did he kiss you? Ooh, did you kiss him?"

Lisa gave an embarrassed laugh. "You know me better than that, Cyn. But . . . oh, never mind."

Cynthia perked up, leaning over the table eagerly. She never got a chance to hear about Lisa's personal life and she sure as hell wasn't about to let her off so easily. "What? Tell me."

"I don't think-"

"Come on! We're friends, aren't we? We tell each other everything!"

_Maybe not everything. _"I don't know. He walked me to my car and then leaned in. When I thought he was going to kiss me, he just walked away. I mean, I wouldn't have let him anyway. It was only the first date and probably the last."

Cynthia stared at her, perplexed. "What do you mean? Didn't you like him?"

Lisa was silent, contemplating her answer. "Yes," she finally replied. "I did. I mean, he was a perfect gentleman the entire night. He didn't stare at my chest, didn't make any lewd comments, and didn't try to come home with me."

"That's rare," Cynthia replied, her eyebrows arching. "I think you found a winner."

"Except," Lisa said after taking a sip of her wine, "I don't know how we'll see each other again. We didn't exchange numbers."

Cynthia waved her hand in dismissal. "Please. He knows where you work so he can always find you there. Besides, I would _not_ mind seeing him again."

Lisa laughed. Her friend would never change. Cynthia wasn't boy-or rather man- crazy, Lisa knew that, but she was still so funny sometimes. But she had to admit that Cynthia was saying the same thing she, herself, was thinking. Lisa would definitely not mind seeing Jackson again either.

* * *

Jackson sat in his car, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel. The radio was on, but turned down so that he could barely hear it. Cars drove past him in the darkness. He was currently tucked away between two others, sure that if Lisa were to drive by, she would not see him. 

His eyes flicked to the bright glow of the clock on the radio. One-thirty AM. "What a late night Leese," he murmured. "What could be keeping you out? Not another man, I'm sure."

He had decided all those days ago to watch her from a distance for awhile; steering clear of actually talking to her again. Instead, now he just talked to himself like a psycho. He laughed at the thought. He was anything but a psycho. Obsessive perhaps, but definitely not psychotic.

A car drove past and on instinct Jackson ducked even though he knew they wouldn't be able to see him. It had been so much simpler when Lisa didn't know him; when she had never seen him. He could stay perfectly still in his car and she would never have assumed anything but that he was another patron of the apartment complex that she lived in. But now it was complicated. She knew him and if she saw him outside her building she would believe him to be a stalker.

Jackson thought about that for a moment and then laughed again. He _was_ a stalker. A stalker that knew everything about her and was always so close to her, even when she did not realize it. But it was all for work. There was nothing weird about it; at least not to him. He never entered her home when she was sleeping. He never left her weird messages or objects on her doorstep. This was all for work. It was strictly a professional observation.

A familiar car drove behind him. His eyes flicked to his rearview mirror; an object that he had been using more and more lately. "Ah, there you are Leese," he said, smirking. Jackson watched as Lisa stepped out of her car, grabbing her purse from the front seat and shutting the door with her hip. She walked without looking behind her, completely unaware of the pair of blue eyes watching her from just a few feet away.

Jackson watched as Lisa stepped up onto the curb and stumbled a bit. A look of annoyance crossed her face as she looked down at the pair of high heels on her feet. She bent down slightly, straightening the strap of her shoe around her ankle. Finally she stood up straight, smoothing out her grey skirt and continued on, making her way to the glass door of her building. Moments later she was out of his sight.

Jackson continued to watch the building after she disappeared, his eyes roaming higher to the window that he knew belonged to her apartment. Minutes later the light flicked on. He saw her form appear in the window for a moment as she closed the curtains, effectively hiding her from his view. Jackson laid his head back on the headrest, closing his eyes. The crickets chirped outside of his car, giving a peaceful song to his hectic mind. The world behind his eyes began to spin as drowsiness hit him. He fought against sleep, telling himself that he had to stay awake.

But in the end, the darkness won out.

* * *

_Voices whispered in the darkness. Hands traced against shadowed outlines. A laugh echoed in the night, a single sound of merriment that seemed so out of place in the shadows. Soft lips brushed his. Soft fingers brushed against his chin. A warm body pressed up against his; arms wrapped around his neck. The lips trailed from his, planting soft kisses in a trail along his chin. A soft nip at his ear made him jump, his arms going around her waist._

_Her fingers played with his hair, burying themselves deep into his dark locks. She made a fist, gripping his hair and yanking backwards, revealing his neck to her. Her lips brushed the tender flesh of his throat, leaving a fiery trail. He groaned as her lips brushed the hollow point at the base of his neck. He leaned forward, her arms falling down to grasp at his back._

* * *

Jackson jerked awake what seemed like moments later. He hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep. He rubbed his eyes, wiping the sleep from them. He glanced at the clock. Three AM. He had been asleep for an hour and a half. His eyes fell on the rearview mirror. The light in Lisa's apartment was already turned out. She had turned in early. Well, at least earlier than usual. 

He pinched the bridge of his nose briefly, attempting to shake the vestiges of sleep, and his dream, away. With a yawn, Jackson started his car, listening as the engine revved up. He wouldn't think about the dream, and what it could possibly mean. He wouldn't allow himself to. It wasn't important. Jackson glanced one last time up at Lisa's window as he drove past. Nothing moved; all was quiet.

* * *

_Lips grazed against skin. Hips ground against each other. Hands brushed tender flesh. A moan tore from her lips as her back arched up to meet him, her stomach pressing into his. Their bodies moved in rhythm, moving in a dance as old as time._

_His left arm wrapped around her back, holding her to him as they moved, their bodies meshed as if they were one. She opened her eyes slightly, staring up into his shadowed face. She could see nothing; no telltale sign of who he was, no significant detail. He lifted his head slightly, grazing his lips against her collarbone, sending excited shivers down her skin. He whispered her name against her skin as an incessant buzzing began to fill the dark room._

_Her eyes clenched shut in irritation as the buzzing continued. Finally she swung her arm to the right, her hand making contact with an object on the table next to them . . . _

* * *

Lisa's eyes shot open as her hand hit the alarm clock next to her, successfully shutting it off. She groaned into her pillow, closing her eyes again. She rolled over onto her back quickly, her arm flopping down onto the blue comforter. She hadn't slept well the night before. Dreams plagued her sleeping moments; dreams that she had had almost every night for two years. But these were somehow different. They did not cause fear to course through her body. She did not wake every morning in a cold sweat either. Maybe she was just going slightly more crazy than she was before. 

Lisa closed her eyes, the dream playing over again in her mind. "Oh God," she muttered. She looked at the clock again. Eight AM. Three hours before she had to be at work. With another groan she pushed herself up. Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she stood up, stretching her arms up to the roof. Lisa walked slowly around her bed, making her way to the bathroom door just across from her.

She opened the door and then stepped into the room, grimacing as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror hanging above the porcelain sink. Dark circles lined her eyes, betraying the signs of lack of sleep. Lisa sighed, finally turning away from the mirror after one last look at the image in the glass, the bright light glimmering on the pale scar on her chest. She turned to the shower, twisting the knobs slightly. The water sprayed from the shower head, steam beginning to rise almost immediately.

Lisa slipped out of her pajamas, allowing them to fall to the tiled floor. With one last look in the mirror, she stepped into the steamy shower, relishing the feel of the warm water as it beat against her skin.

* * *

"Okay, good night Cyn," Lisa called as she made her way through the glass doors of the Lux Atlantic. It was seven o'clock and time for her to go home. "Oh, thank God," she whispered, thankful that she was finally able to go home and smiling at a family walking towards her in the dark parking lot. 

Lisa shivered slightly as a cool breeze ruffled her hair. Her eyes scanned the parking lot, never stopping in their endless searching. Not since that day . . .

She stopped in her tracks as she caught sight of a lone figure leaning against her Volkswagen Beetle. Her hand inched towards her purse as she began to slowly walk to her car, reaching for the small set of keys that she knew she could use as a weapon if need be. The street lights gave a hazy glow to the dark lot, creating eerie shadows around her. Panic began to bubble up in her throat as she moved closer, her heart beginning to pound as her breathing spiked.

Lisa paused again as the figure became visible in the lamplight. A slight smile crossed her face as recognition hit her. He smiled as he caught her eye and stood up straight, lifting one hand up in greeting as she drew closer to him.

"So," Jackson said, his blue eyes dancing in the dim light, "how about that drink?"

* * *

**AN: **So, what did you think? I hope all of you liked it. I was having some issues with it, but I think that I like the outcome. Here's a hearty thank you to all of my reviewers: **FluidDegree****, mari **(huh. I honestly wasn't even thinking about her attack in the parking lot when I wrote that. But it could raise a good point!)**, Dawnie-7, lily, Kaikamahine Mai Hawai'i, faniwhiskers, Mystery GYRL, Mariabonita**


	5. Second Time Around

Always

**Chapter Five: Second Time Around**

Lisa was staring. She knew she was. She knew she was and yet she couldn't look away. He just had a way about him. The way the shadows would dance over the contours of his face and the way the overhead lights would catch every strand of perfectly placed hair. He seemed so friendly, so polite most of the time. And yet every now and then he would grow so distant, so cold, as if he was an entirely different person.

Jackson was staring around the room, as he often did, seemingly unaware of the woman staring across from him. Lisa took another sip of her glass of wine, swirling the sweet liquid around in her mouth slowly. They had driven separately from the hotel, Jackson following her to the small bar a couple blocks away that she and Cynthia often frequented. They had talked little as they sat down, the silence only broken when the waitress had come for their drink orders.

"Are you okay?" he asked suddenly, his eyes flicking to her, his face still turned away.

Lisa jumped as he broke the silence. "Yes, fine. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to stare."

Jackson grinned as if he was used to the response. "It's okay. How was your day? Anything interesting happen?"

Lisa laughed slightly. "No. Never. Customers check in, customers check out. Always the same," she replied, taking another sip from her already half empty glass.

"Sounds kinda boring. However do you pass the time?"

"With a lot of patience," she shook her head. "Anyway, let's not talk about work. How do you like living in Miami?"

Jackson contemplated his answer. "It's good I guess. I don't see much of it since I'm working most of the time," he paused, turning to her completely. "It's good to get out sometimes, don't you think?"

Lisa looked up at him. There was something in his question, something that she just couldn't place. "Yes, it is. But I guess it just depends on who you're out with. The company you're with is always a main factor in the kind of time you have."

"How very philosophical," Jackson replied, smiling knowingly.

"Yeah, well, I have my moments."

He paused, taking a sip of his own drink. "And what kind of time are you having?" he asked slyly.

"Surprisingly," she answered, smiling. "A good one."

* * *

"So, how was your date last night?"

Lisa's head jerked up at Cynthia's voice, startled. "What?"

"Oh come on. I saw you talking to him last night in the parking lot. And I saw you guys leave together," Cynthia paused, pursing her lips, "although in different cars."

"It was just drinks."

"And you don't have any interest in him whatsoever." Cynthia stated.

"I . . . I never said that. I just said it wasn't a date. I owed him a drink from the flight," Lisa shrugged. "That's all."

"You didn't kiss him?" Cynthia replied, disappointed.

Lisa laughed. "Cynthia . . ."

"I was just kidding," Cynthia answered. "Did you at least give him your number? Your dating won't go anywhere if you guys don't take the next step."

"I-we- yes, we did," Lisa answered, finally giving in to her friend's questions. She walked around the desk, her heels clicking on the linoleum floor. "And before you ask, no we didn't set up another 'date'."

A smile lit up Cynthia's face. "That's great! I mean, about the numbers thing."

"I don't know. We'll have to wait and see. I don't have very good luck with men," Lisa said. "Anyway, I have a group of teenagers waiting for me in the ballroom. I'll see you in a little while, okay? We'll go to lunch."

Cynthia simply smiled in response as Lisa walked away.

* * *

"So? What do you think?" Lisa asked as she entered the room, brushing a stray strand of hair back into the clip behind her ear.

The bright-eyed teenager turned to Lisa quickly, a smile lighting her face. "It's gorgeous! It'll be big enough for the dance. It'll fit all of the students in it perfectly!"

Lisa smiled at the girl, almost wishing she could be that young again. Life was so much simpler then. "That's great. How many students do you expect to attend?"

"Um, our class size is five hundred, but normally not all of them attend a school function," a boy answered, running his hands through his black hair.

"That's fine," Lisa replied. "The room can hold more than that so it won't be a problem."

The blonde girl smiled again. "That's great! The Lux Atlantic was our first choice of places to hold our prom so we're really glad that it's available."

"And in our price range," the black haired boy seconded.

"Yes, that is always the major part."

Lisa smiled again, making her way to a small table set up by the wall. "Well, then let's set everything up."

"So April twenty-eighth is okay?" the girl asked again. "It's still open?"

Lisa flipped open the day planner that she held as she sat down, her eyes scanning the pages. "Yes, that date is still open," she smiled at them. "So, all that's left is paperwork and then everything will be all set."

The teenagers smiled brightly as they sat down in front of her, accepting the papers that Lisa held out for them.

* * *

The phone ringing startled him, pulling him from a light sleep. He glanced at the caller ID, sighed, and then pushed the talk button. "Rippner."

"What the hell do you think you are doing sleeping while your _target_ is running around?" the voice on the other end snapped, their tone quiet but still threatening.

Jackson rubbed his face with his free hand, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "So you have someone watching me." He stated.

"It's been two and a half weeks since we've heard from you Rippner, so, yes, we have someone watching you. And I have to say the reports don't really make me too happy."

"The job is not in jeopardy," Jackson replied, keeping his voice calm as he stood up slowly and made his way to the window. He pulled down a portion of the blinds and looked out into the glaring sun. No new cars had appeared in the parking lot of the apartments he was staying at. He glanced around, looking for anything out of the ordinary. "It's under control."

"Is it?" papers were shuffled on the other end. "Going out for dinner? Having drinks? Sounds more like you're going on dates than doing your job. We're not paying you to screw around Rippner."

Jackson gave a bark of laughter. "You told me you didn't care how I got the job done as long as it was done. She saw me on the plane. If she saw me following her around she would get suspicious."

"She shouldn't see you. As good at your job as you are, no one should see you tailing her."

"There's still always a chance. This way, she knows me and won't think that I'm following her. She'll believe me to be a friend, she won't suspect anything."

Silence followed his words. He could feel a grin cross his lips when his boss spoke again. "So," they replied, "you're going to get her to trust you. But what will you do if you have to use her again?"

"Then I'll use her," he replied without hesitation. "And then once she has served her purpose, I'll deal with her."

His boss was silent again. "I hope you stick to that, Rippner. I'd hate to have to . . . retire you early. I'm sure we can still get so much _use_ out of you."

Jackson felt his anger boiling. "You know I will, so call off your dog. Trust me to do my job." _You son of a bitch,_ he added silently.

Jackson's colleague laughed quietly. "I'm not sure I like that tone, _Jack_, but I'll let it slide this time. Don't fail me on this Rippner. If you do I will _personally _see to it that you receive the proper punishment. And you know that is not a threat, it's a promise."

"Of course."

"Good. Then I'll leave you to your work. And Rippner?"

Jackson held in a frustrated groan. "Yes?"

"Don't forget to keep me posted or this time my _dog_, as you so politely called him, will pay you a personal visit and not just keep an eye on you. I don't have to remind you what happened to the last manager that failed me."

Before Jackson could reply, the line went dead. He pulled the phone from his ear and turned it off. He glared at it for a moment, his jaw clenched. If they were already watching him then he was going to have to tread lightly. He didn't want to slip up and have them replace him. This was his job and he wasn't about to let anyone else take it from him. Least of all a pet dog that only knew how to obey its master.

Jackson's fist clenched around his phone, his skin turning white at the knuckles. He would finish this job, and he would finish it his own way.

* * *

The drive home was long. The traffic around her was almost at a complete standstill. God she hated traffic. Lisa rested her elbow against the doorframe and placed her forehead in her hand. The almost constant road construction was beginning to drive her crazy. She jumped as her phone rang. She flipped it open without looking at the ID, knowing exactly who it was. Only one person called her at this time every day.

"Hey dad."

"Hey hun how was your day?"

"It was good." As a loud crash echoed through the phone, she asked, "What are you doing?"

Joe chuckled. "Making dinner. Spaghetti. Your favorite."

Lisa smiled at his unspoken question. He was always trying to get her over for dinner. Ever since that day two years ago he always tried to get her to stay with him. "I don't know dad. It was a long day and I'm really tired."

"You know I always make extra. There's always enough for you if you want it. I haven't seen you since you got back."

Lisa sighed. "Did you ever find your wallet?" she asked abruptly.

"What? Oh, yeah, yeah. I found it behind the dresser about a week ago. It must have fallen behind it when I put it on the dresser. I'm not sure how, but it must have."

"Huh," she responded, pushing on the gas as the traffic moved forward a few feet. "Well I'm glad you found it. Now I don't have to worry so much about you driving without a license," she teased.

"You know I was never any danger. It was your mother who liked to drive fast, not me."

Lisa laughed. "I know. But anyway, let me go. The traffic is killer out here and I would really like to pay attention to it. You know how it is on these roads this time of day."

"Okay, okay. I'll let you go. You just be safe out there okay, Lisa?"

"I will dad. I'll talk to you later, okay? I love you."

Lisa could hear his smile over the phone. "Love you too. Call me later."

"I will," she replied, and then hung up, tossing her phone on the seat next to her. She loved her father, she really did, but he just worried a little too much sometimes. And sometimes it just drove her crazy. Lisa jumped again as the phone rang once again. She grabbed the phone up quickly, wondering what in the world her father could want so soon after she hung with him. After all, he really was the only one who ever called her that time of day. "Dad, I told you that I was tired. I just want to go home."

The phone was silent for a moment and then a voice she almost didn't recognize came over the speaker. "I guess that blows my whole meeting for dinner out of the water then?"

Lisa pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it, confused. "Jackson?" she asked once she put the phone back to her ear.

A soft chuckle was her response. "Who else would it be?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to call so soon."

He chuckled again. "That's me. Full of surprises. I was just calling to see if you wanted to grab something to eat, but if you're too tired, then-"

"What about take-out?" she asked before she even realized she was talking.

"What?" he asked, sounding just as surprised as she felt.

"There's a great Chinese take-out place a couple blocks from my apartment. We could stay in, watch a, um, movie or something."

"Are you asking me over to your place?" he asked teasingly.

Lisa took a deep breath, not believing what she was about to do. "Um, yeah. I guess I am. Just for dinner of course."

"And a movie."

"Exactly. Dinner and a movie," she seconded, hoping to God she didn't sound as stupid to him as she did to herself.

"Sounds good to me."

Lisa let out the breath she did not realize she had been holding. "Great. Um, let me give you my address," she replied and then proceeded to tell him where she lived and how to get there. "Give me about an hour and then come over. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I'll see you in an hour then," Jackson answered and then hung up.

Lisa hung up as well and once again tossed the phone onto the seat next to her. Now all she had to do was get home.

* * *

Jackson parked in the small parking lot below Lisa's apartment building. A smile crossed his face as he considered the irony of his situation. He had spent weeks watching her, most of the time from this exact parking lot. Now here he was, actually invited. He laughed to himself as he climbed out of his car and stared up at the window he knew to be Lisa's. He laughed again as he began to walk. His assignment was becoming so easy. He had thought that he would have to work hard to get her to trust him; to allow him close to her. But it was proving to be so much easier than he thought.

He paused outside of the elevator, smiling at the woman that stood in front of it, gazing at him from the corner of her eyes. "Hello," he greeted.

"Good evening," she replied, stepping into the elevator once the door opened to allow them entrance.

Jackson stood in silence, leaning against the elevator wall, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He closed his eyes for a moment, forcing his breathing to remain calm. The woman who had entered the elevator with him was standing in front of him, her back stiff. She was nervous, that he could tell. Perhaps it was because he was a new face; someone she didn't know. He didn't give it much thought. It didn't concern him who, or what, she was afraid of.

The doors opened after a brief _ding_ from the elevator. Jackson's eyes flicked up to the numbers, straightening up a little but then settled back down as he noticed that it wasn't his floor. The woman hurried from the elevator and then disappeared from his sight as the doors closed seconds later. Jackson merely shrugged. _Women, _he thought.

The elevator finally stopped at his floor, the doors opening too slowly for his impatient body. He breathed deeply once he was out of the small compartment, his muscles relaxing as he stood in the wide hallway. Jackson turned his attention to the door next to him, noticing the numbers hanging there. _Hmm. Should be four more doors down._ Tucking his hands in his pockets, he began to walk down the carpeted floor, his footsteps muted against the thick carpeting.

Finally reaching his destination, Jackson turned to face the door on his right. _4F_. He took another deep breath, preparing himself for what was going to come next. He raised his right arm and knocked, the sound echoing in the empty hallway. It was silent for several moments as he waited for her to answer, his hand going back in his pocket, his fists clenching and unclenching in anticipation. Finally he heard the sound of a lock click on the other side and the door opened.

Jackson's breath caught in his throat as he took in Lisa's appearance. Her hair was pulled back in a pony tail, stray strands of hair hanging around her face. She wore a pair of loose fitting jeans and a white graphic tee, the words 'You gotta be a man to wear tights!' under which the picture of four men dressed in medieval clothing with feathered hats was seen. Jackson felt an honest smile cross his face at her shirt. He looked up into her green eyes, the smile faltering a little as his heart thumped in his chest.

"Hi," she said, her voice soft.

His smile widened. "Hi."

* * *

**AN: **Sorry this has taken so long to update. I was sick for about three weeks (including a wonderful hospital stay) and wasn't able to concentrate on much. But now I'm all better and I'm updating! Kudos for me! And I have to say that I'm sorry if this seems like it's starting out slow. I promise that it will start to pick up in the next few chapters. I hope that you all enjoy it!

Once again a big, heartfelt thank you to all my reviewers! **Dawnie-7, FluidDegree, MythStar Black Dragon, bookfanatic123, lily94, Kaikamahine Mai Hawai'I, Niamh W, renisanz.**


	6. Movies and Pleasant Dreams

"_There's a place in the dark where the animals go_

_You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow_

_Juliet loves the beat and the lust it commands_

_Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands romeo"_

The Sharpest Lives; My Chemical Romance

Always

**Chapter Six: Movies and Pleasant Dreams**

The lights were still on, the TV was still a low hum in the background, but everything else was silent. He pressed the speaker harder into his ear, straining to hear anything that was going on in the apartment. He wished that the bosses had allowed him to bug the bitch's apartment. It would have made things so much easier. Hell, he even wished they would have let him bug Rippner's place.

He scowled. But they were right. Rippner was too good not to notice something like that; even something tiny could be found. Rippner would see something, _hear_ something, and he would know. He was like a God damn Superman or something. Except for the Boy Scout aspect. The little bastard was too heartless to be a Boy Scout.

He let out an exasperated sigh. God he just wished he could find something, _anything_, incriminating on the self righteous bastard. He would love to take Rippner down. And if it was the last thing he did, he would see the little fucker fail.

* * *

The Chinese take-out containers were sprawled out on the coffee table, plastic forks sticking out of the tops of the boxes. The TV still droned on quietly, some boring newscast muttering in the background. Lisa jerked awake, rubbing a sore spot on her cheek from where it had been resting on the arm of the couch. She was confused for a moment, unsure as to where she was, until her sleep fogged mind realized she was still in her living room.

She sat up, stretching her arms over her head. A soft noise beside her halted her movements. Lisa tilted her head to her left and peeked through the tangle of curls framing her face. Her breath caught in her throat as she found the sleeping form of Jackson sitting on her couch, his arms lying across the back of the couch and his chin resting against his chest. His hair hung in his eyes and his breath escaped through slightly parted lips.

Lisa smiled faintly. He seemed so peaceful. All of his vitality, all of his personality, seemed to be hidden when his eyes were closed. Her eyes flicked to the clock on the VCR. Two AM. Lisa reached out to touch Jackson's shoulder, nursing ideas of waking him. She paused, her hand hovering over his shoulder, almost unwilling to wake him. She smiled again and pushed an imposing strand of hair away from his face. He stirred only slightly, his face scrunching up for a moment before once again settling into a mask of blissful slumber.

Lisa stood up slowly, careful not to rouse him. She padded to her room, snatched a blanket from the end of her bed and walked back out to the couch. Quietly, she placed the blanket over him and once again tucked the errant strand of hair away from his face. Before she realized what she was doing, she placed a soft kiss to his forehead. Jackson's head tilted up slightly to the gentle brush, still not waking from his sleep.

She backed away quickly, her hand going to cover her mouth. _What the heck am I doing?_ She wondered. She was getting used to being around Jackson and she wasn't sure why. First it was even inviting him over the night before. And that was something she never did. Ever. And now it was allowing him to sleep in her apartment, albeit in a different room. He was a strange man-well, semi-strange anyway- that she didn't even know that well. How did she know he wasn't going to wake up in the middle of the night and try to kill her? How was she to know . . . _Oh just stop it! Stop trying to make everything worse than it really is. Stop trying to make him out to be a bad guy._

Lisa shook her head and then turned away, giving only a cursory glance at the food containers on the table. She yawned as she walked to her room, pulling the small band from her hair. With one last look at the sleeping form of Jackson, she stepped into her room and shut the door quietly.

* * *

_He could feel her. He could sense her. He could _taste _her. His senses were on overload and it was driving him crazy. Her fingernails grazing against his skin sent chills through his body. She arched against him, her arms folding around his neck. Her hot flesh pressed against him._

_Shadows played against her as the light danced behind him. Her face was in darkness, her face hidden from his view. Her skin glowed in the dim lighting, sweat dripping from her every curve. She clung to him as if he were a lifeline; her body heat pouring into him. Her hand moved to his shoulder, clutching tightly, her fingernails digging into his skin._

_A name escaped her lips, a whispered word that drifted to his ears. "Jackson."

* * *

_

Lisa shook his shoulder lightly. "Jackson."

She paused for a moment and pushed her wet hair away from her face. She reached out one more time, reaching to touch his shoulder once again, attempting to wake him from his deep sleep.

* * *

He was hovering only inches over her, her right arm clutched tightly by his. Jackson stared down at Lisa, taking in her confused expression. She was fresh out of the shower. He could still smell the simple fragrance of her shampoo; the soft smell of her soap on her skin. His right knee was resting between her legs, his left leg resting on the floor.

"Jackson?" Lisa said.

Jackson pushed himself up, the blanket that had been wrapped around his shoulders falling to the cushions. He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head slowly. "Sorry," he said, his voice clogged with sleep. "You startled me."

Lisa sat up, bringing their faces within inches of each other again. "Bad dream?"

Jackson felt her hot breath against his cheeks, a hint of mint lacing her breath. "Something like that," he whispered. He needed to get away from her. It was getting . . . complicated. With the dream still fresh in his mind, this couldn't bode well.

"I have to go to work," Lisa said, holding his gaze with hers. "I just wanted to wake you to let you know."

"I'll leave in a minute," Jackson replied and nodded slightly, his eyes traveling the length of her face and settling on her lips. He lifted one hand slowly, his fingers trailing along her jaw line. His thumb traced the outline of her lips, barely touching the tender skin.

Jackson leaned in slowly. He watched as her eyes closed half way expectantly; anxiously. He was only a breath away. _No!_ A voice screamed in his head. _She's only a fucking job! Don't let yourself get so involved God damn it!_ Jackson jerked away quickly, jumping to his feet. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared down at the confused expression once again littering her face. "I should go," he gasped out. "I'll call you later."

And seconds later he turned on his heel and was out of the apartment, leaving a dumbfounded Lisa still kneeling on the couch.

* * *

"Lisa? Lisa are you okay?"

Lisa jumped as the voice slowly filtered through her still shocked mind. "Hmm? Oh, oh I'm fine. Just . . . tired."

Janice waggled her eyebrows at her. "Why? Late night activities?"

Lisa looked at Janice, a small smile flitting across her face. "No. Nothing like that. Just couldn't sleep is all."

Janice nodded knowingly as an amused smile lit up her face. "Anyway, you have a message from the high school renting the ballroom. They would like you to call them back as they have 'a totally special request of you'," at Lisa's questioning stare Janice continued. "Their words, not mine. Just because I have two teenagers doesn't mean I try to talk like them."

Lisa laughed as the woman walked out of her office, straightening her white dress as she went. She sighed and then opened her day planner, her finger trailing down the list of phone numbers until she found the number for Miami Senior High School. After several minutes of being on hold and speaking with various secretaries, Anita, the head of the prom committee, picked up.

"_Hello?"_

"Anita? Hi, it's Lisa Reisert from the Lux Atlantic. Janice told me you had a question for me."

"_Oh yes!"_ Anita exclaimed. "_Well, we actually need one more chaperone for the dance and, well, we were hoping you would do it."_

Lisa paused as she mulled over the teenagers words. "Of course. I would be happy to," she replied hesitantly.

Anita squealed into the phone, causing Lisa to pull the phone from her ear. "_That is so awesome! Thank you so much! So we'll be there early on the twenty-eighth to set up. You don't have to be there for that; mostly it'll just be the prom committee and a few volunteers."_

Lisa jotted the notes into her planner. "Okay, great. Then I will see you on the twenty-eighth."

"_Yes. We'll see you then!"_ the girl exclaimed again and then hung up.

Lisa shook her head and chuckled to herself. It was definitely going to be one of those days.

* * *

Jackson leaned his head against the tile wall, the cool, almost cold, water rushing down his body. He was doing it again. What was it about that woman that gave her the ability to almost completely slip past his guard? No other person on the planet (well, none that he had met so far, anyway) had pulled off what she had in only a few weeks. The job was going to become jeopardized if . . . _No, damn it! That will not happen. The job will come first as always._

He clenched his hands into tight fists and gritted his teeth. He had never failed an assignment and he wasn't about to start now. He would just have to block his fucking emotions a little better. Jackson could not, _would_ not, allow some woman to cause him to fail his job. He was a fucking manager; only a step down from being head of a section. He would be damned if he lost all of that because of some girl.

_She's not just any girl,_ a snide voice whispered in his mind; a voice long since forgotten. _Shut up!_ He shot back.

"Great," Jackson turned around, leaning his back against the tile, "now I'm talking to myself," he muttered as he wiped his hands down his face. "Now I'm turning into a fucking lunatic."

He cut off the water and stepped out of the shower, toweling himself off. He grabbed the pair of black pants hanging from the back of the bathroom door and slid them on. Jackson opened the door quietly but stopped as a small noise sounded from the living room. He stepped out of the room, his wet hair dripping down his bare back.

A man dressed in simple blue jeans and a button down shirt was in his living room hunched over Jackson's phone. A trickle of anger rolled down his spine. So they still wanted to play that game. He would show them what kind of player he could be.

Jackson moved quietly across the room, making sure he didn't reveal himself to the other man. Before the other man even noticed Jackson behind him, he was slammed into the wall, the satisfying sound of his nose breaking as his face was smashed unceremoniously into the hard plaster.

Jackson was pressed into him a second later, his right forearm pressed firmly into the back of the man's neck, cutting off his supply of air. The man gasped beneath his grasp, attempting to breathe while pressed into the wall. He was bigger than Jackson, that was for sure, but that never meant anything. The bigger they were, the more fun they were to take down.

Jackson leaned in to the man's ear and hissed, "You picked the wrong fucking apartment to bug," he pressed harder into the back of the man's neck. "And you're going to tell me _exactly _who sent you."

He saw the man's eyes widen just before Jackson's fist slammed into the back of his head, shoving his face forward, effectively knocking him unconscious. He let the body fall to the ground and then stared down at him. They couldn't even send someone good enough at their job. A cold sneer crossed his face as his emotionless blue eyes watched the barely breathing man. Maybe he could get rid of a little of his aggression by taking it out on the man lying at his feet. This might be a little bit of fun.

* * *

**AN: **Sorry it has taken me so long to update! I was recently promoted at work (which was where I normally wrote when I was on break) so that has taken up a lot of my time. Add that to getting sick (again) and having to be on two kinds of medicine to get rid of the blasted cold, both of which knock me on my ass. But, I am back with a chapter that I liked a little better then the one before.

Miami Senior High School is a real school in Miami. I looked it up. I may live in Florida, but I've never been to Miami. Truth be told, the place kind of scares me . . . Anyway, thanks to all of my reviewers! All of you are so awesome!


	7. No Answer

**AN: **I would like to thank BlossomingGDfreak for all of her help. I was having some issues and she helped me out with them. I do hope that you'll like what I come up with!

_Don't cry to me_

_If you loved me_

_You would be here with me_

_You want me_

_Come find me_

_Make up your mind_

_Evanescence; Call Me When You're Sober_

Always

**Chapter Seven: No Answer**

The phone rang continuously in her ear. No answer. Again. Not even a voice on the voicemail; just an irritating, automated voice. As if she had been expecting anything different. Lisa hung up the phone before the beep rang in her ear. She ran her hand through her hair and stared at the phone as if expecting it to ring at any moment. She had been trying to call Jackson for a week now and still no response. _He better have a damn good reason,_ a voice whispered in her mind.

The door to Lisa's office swung open after a short knock. Cynthia flew into the room and plopped down in the chair before Lisa's desk. "So, who are you going to take to prom?"

"Why would I take anyone? I'm only a chaperone."

Cynthia stared at her incredulously. "Are you planning on picking up a student?"

Lisa's gaze shot to Cynthia. "No! God no."

Cynthia waved her hands in the air as if telling Lisa to go on. "Okay, then who are you taking?"

"No one. I'm going alone. Is there a problem with me going alone?"

"Yes," Cynthia answered immediately. "Absolutely. You can't go alone. Why don't you ask your new _friend_?"

Lisa sighed. "I couldn't ask him. It's too soon." She slumped in her seat, resting her head on the back of the chair, her hair bunching up behind her. "Even if I wanted to I couldn't," she muttered.

Cynthia's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean? I thought things were going great."

"I just- we just . . ." she groaned in frustration. "I haven't heard from him in a week. He won't answer his phone. I just want to make sure he's okay. And God I sound like such a girl."

Cynthia laughed. "Maybe he's just busy," she replied, attempting to ease Lisa's worry. "You said he works for a security company. Maybe he got called out on a job or something."

Lisa closed her eyes. "He better have a damn good excuse."

* * *

Jackson stared down at the glowing screen on his phone. Lisa. Damn it. He didn't have time for her right now. He had much more important things to deal with. He set the phone aside and turned back to the man tied to the chair across from him. Blood dripped down the man's face. Bryson. That was the man's name. it had taken Jackson an entire night to drag that from him. Now he was completely silent no matter what happened to him.

Jackson picked up a towel from the top of the dresser and wiped a patch of blood from his knuckles. His cold blue eyes trailed up and down Bryson. The man was hunched over on the chair, his chin resting against his chest. A trail of blood dribbled from a cut in his lip. A gap in his forehead leaked blood down his right cheek and his left eye was swollen shut.

He turned on his heel and walked into the adjoining bathroom and filled up a bucket with cold water from the faucet. Jackson carried the bucket into the other room and tossed its contents at Bryson, the water hitting him square in the face. Bryson jerked awake, sputtering.

"You know, you're not making this any easier on yourself. All you had to do was answer one simple fucking question," Jackson paused, reached out and dug his thumb into the bridge of the man's broken nose.

The scream erupted from Bryson's mouth moments later. Jackson covered his mouth, stifling the scream. "Doesn't feel very good, does it?" he asked. "And it's not going to get much better unless you start talking." He said, removing his hand.

Bryson stared up into Jackson's cold eyes. "Go to hell."

Jackson gave an exaggerated sigh. "That's not the answer I was looking for," he replied. His fist swung out quickly, slamming into Bryson's chin. Bryson's head jerked to the side, little droplets of blood splattering on the tile floor. "Whoever you work for must be so proud. I guess I'll just have to up my way of questioning."

Jackson walked behind him and grabbed a handful of Bryson's hair, jerking his head back. He stared down into the other man's eyes, his gaze steely. "I tried to make this simple for you. All you had to do was answer my question and I would leave you alone. But you decided to be difficult. Now we'll just have to do things the hard way."

He saw a flicker of fear go through Bryson's eyes and grinned. "I normally don't like to do it this way. But I'll make an exception for you."

* * *

Cynthia watched Lisa from the corner of her eye. She was smiling at the customers standing on the other side of the counter, completely engrossed in conversing with them and checking them in. She seemed her normal cheery self, but Cynthia knew better.

She knew Lisa was upset, irritated, and last of all worried. It had been two days since Lisa had mentioned that Jackson hadn't been answering his phone. Two days of her being cranky and irritable. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Cynthia glanced down at the phone and then back at Lisa. She raised her arm slightly, her hand hovering over the receiver. She glanced one more time at Lisa and then picked up the phone and began to dial.

* * *

A sudden buzzing filled the air. Jackson stepped into the room and picked up the glowing, vibrating phone. The number wasn't familiar to him. He stared at it for a moment, debating whether or not he should pick it up. The phone continued to buzz in his hand. With a sigh he hit 'talk' and put it to his ear. "Rippner."

"_Hello? This is Cynthia from the Luz Atlantic."_

Confusion littered Jackson's gaze and voice as he replied. "Can I help you?"

"_I hope so," _she said, her voice close to a whisper. "_I honestly think that she's too shy to ask you herself so I'm going to for her. Of course she really can't know about this so . . ."_

"What is it exactly that you need?" he cut in, rubbing his free hand over his face.

Cynthia chuckled slightly, nervously. "_I'm sorry. There's this dance going on at the hotel this coming up weekend. It's a school dance but Lisa's having to act as chaperone."_

Jackson listened as Cynthia spoke. "Okay," he said, his eyebrows furrowing. Where was she going with this?

"_Lisa doesn't even know I'm doing this. Do you think, if you're not busy that weekend, that you'd go with her? I mean, not with her, with her because she doesn't know about this, but, you know . . ."_

Jackson was quiet for a moment, his mind dissecting Cynthia's question. A laugh bubbled up in his chest but he held it back as the words finally filtered through. Here he was, almost thirty years old and he was being asked to a school dance. "So you're asking me to the prom?" he asked, amused.

Cynthia was silent on the other end for a moment and then he heard a soft laugh. "_Well, technically, Lisa is. She just doesn't know it yet."_

"I-" he paused, suddenly unsure. He shouldn't be doing this. He shouldn't be playing games like this. He should be focusing on the task at hand. Interrogating the man had to be his top priority. "I'll try. I can't promise anything."

He could almost hear the smile in her voice as she replied, "_That's all I ask. And remember, Lisa can't know anything about this. She would literally _kill _me if she knew I did this."_

"I won't," he said. _You don't have to worry about a thing,_ he thought. _I don't plan on talking to her anytime soon._

"_Okay. Well, thank you. But she's coming this way so I should probably go before she catches on. I hope to see you soon!"_

The phone clicked off. Jackson pulled his phone away and looked down at it. Now what was he going to do? He didn't have time for this. He had to figure out who the hell was following him and he had to figure it out soon. He sighed and shook his head and placed the phone back on his hip, completely unaware of the shadow moving behind him.

* * *

"So, what are you going to wear on Saturday?"

"Hmm? Oh I don't know. I'll figure something out. I'm not worried about it; I have no one to impress."

Cynthia pursed her lips at her friend's inability to realize that she _always_ had someone to impress. "Well, you should still look nice. I mean, even if you're just going alone and there's no hope for romance-" at this Lisa rolled her eyes "-you should still look pretty. You never know, you might meet someone."

Lisa stared over at her. "What are you going on about?"

Cynthia shrugged. "Nothing. I just think you should dress up. You don't do it nearly enough-"

Lisa sighed. "I dress up everyday for work," she interrupted not taking her gaze from the computer in front of her.

"That doesn't count. That's business . . . oh God please don't tell me you're going to wear business clothes to the dance!"

"I have more than just business clothes, Cynthia."

Cynthia smiled broadly. "Then why don't I come over after work and I can help you figure out what to wear? How about it?"

"Will you leave me alone if I let you?" Lisa asked laughingly.

Cynthia's smile widened. "Maybe until next time."

* * *

He hadn't even seen the blow before it came. All Jackson knew was that he was conscious one minute, and the next he wasn't. He sat up slowly, feeling the back of his head. His fingers came away bloody, the red gooey mess had already congealed in his hair. "Fuck." He glanced around the apartment, finding nothing out of place; no sign that anyone else had been there.

Jackson stumbled to his feet as a thought crossed his mind. He raced to the spare room he had been using as a mock prison, the room around him swimming. He leaned into the doorway, the pounding in his skull escalating as he noticed the chair sitting empty in the middle of the room. He slammed his fist into the door frame. "Fuck!" he shouted. He turned around quickly, the room beginning to spin as he leaned against the door. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Now was not the time to let a set back like this get to him. He pushed off from the door and walked slowly away.

Jackson weaved slightly as he made his way to the kitchen. He reached into the freezer, pulling out a handful of ice and placing the cubes in a towel that he had grabbed from the sink. He placed the ice pack to the cut on his scalp, wincing as the cold seeped into the wound. _Damn it._ He hadn't found out anything. He hadn't learned anything from the bastard. And now, to make matters worse, whoever the attacker was knew him; knew what he was doing and came for their employee. Someone obviously didn't want him to find out about them. Now all he had to do was figure out whom _they_ were.

His head told him that it was someone in the company. They weren't happy with him and he knew that. He was doing his job his way and they were not too enthused. His gut, however, was telling him it was someone else. No one at the company would be stupid enough to attack him. No body would be smart enough to be able to get past him and take him out. He was the best at what he did and no one could top him.

A sudden vibrating against his hip caused him to still. Every time his phone rang something bad happened. Hesitantly, Jackson plucked the phone from its holster and gazed down at the flashing screen. Lisa. His thumb twitched over the 'on' button, his mind arguing with his body about whether or not to answer the phone. He had too much to figure out. He couldn't allow her to distract him; not like Cynthia had distracted him with her questions. He had to find out who this new person, or persons, was and deal with them.

Without another glance at the still vibrating phone, Jackson placed it on the counter and walked slowly out of the room, still holding the pack of ice to the back of his head.

* * *

The gunshot rang out in the empty warehouse. The bullet struck the body seconds later, embedding deep into the skull of the intended target. The body of Bryson hit the ground moments later, his wide eyes staring sightlessly up at the high ceiling. The shooter stared contemptuously down at the quickly cooling body. He had severely displeased them. Getting caught had been his first, and last, mistake.

The shooter shook their head. It was a shame really. Bryson had been such a valued employee. He was so good at his job. But, well, all good things must come to an end. They supposed it was their mistake to send him after Rippner. Bryson had been in a completely different class; a class that was not even near Rippner's. Perhaps, they thought, they would just have to take matters into their own hands. No more grunts. No more of the simpletons doing their work for them.

And as much as it killed them, they were going to have to play it a little safer than normal.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but you can't wear any of these."

Lisa looked up from her spot on her bed, throwing her phone onto the comforter. "What's wrong?" she asked distractedly.

Cynthia turned to her, her hands on her hips, reminding Lisa of Robin Williams from _Hook_. "You can't wear any of these dresses." She turned back to the closet and pulled one dress out, a look of utter disdain crossing her face. "I mean, what is this? Is this a frock?"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "That was the dress I wore to graduation. I haven't worn it in years-"

"Well then we can just get rid of it." Cynthia threw the dress onto the armchair adjacent to the closet door and proceeded to ruffle through the closet once more.

Lisa watched her friend pull dress after dress from the closet and threw them all in a pile on the chair. "What's going on Cynthia?"

"Hmm?" Cynthia replied, not turning to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"Why are you taking such an interest in this? You've never taken that much of an interest in my dating life before now."

Cynthia laughed. "Not to be mean, Leese, but you've never really _had_ a dating life before now. For as long as I've known you I've never even seen you look at a guy, much less talk to one unless he was a customer."

Lisa's eyebrows rose slightly as she cocked her head to the side. _She's right._ "I'll find something later. Don't worry about it."

"I don't think so. You are so not getting off that easy," she paused, tapping her chin in thought. She brightened after a moment, almost bouncing in excitement. "I got it! I have the perfect dress for you at home. I'll let you borrow it and you will just look great in it!"

Lisa stared at her, bewildered. "Seriously, Cynthia, what's going on?"

Cynthia sighed. "Nothing. I just believe that a girl should be able to dress up on occasion," she turned to Lisa, a slight, secretive smile crossing her lips. "Besides, you never know when you'll meet the man of your dreams."

* * *

**AN: **Yay! One more chapter down! I do hope that you all liked it. It's kind of just a 'filler' chapter, but it does its job. Things are going to start picking up after the next chapter. And, what's going to happen? Will Jackson go to the dance? Will Lisa ever find out if he's okay? You'll just have to wait and see! 


	8. The Dance

**Disclaimer: **The lyrics used in this chapter are "Right Here" by Staind. I claim no ownership for them and do not get any money for using them.

**AN: **As I told most of you, I have had this chapter written for weeks now. I have just been re-editing it to make it better. I do hope all of you like it. My friend absolutely loved it so I hope that you do too. Please, let me know what you think. And once again thank you to **Mystery GYRL **for beta-ing this for me.

Always

**Chapter Eight: The Dance**

Lisa stared out into the pulsating crowd. The teenagers danced with each other, careful not to get too close to each other. Chaperones patrolled the ballroom, searching for any student attempting to display lewd behavior. Lisa herself was there partly as a liaison for the hotel and partly because the students had asked her to be a chaperone.

Her hands smoothed out the wrinkles of the red dress that she wore unconsciously. Lisa was uncomfortable. It had been years since she had worn something like this and even more years since she had been in high school. Now, here she was, surrounded by people she didn't know- which happened quite a lot since she was a manager of the hotel- and she was alone.

Lisa hadn't had the guts to ask Jackson to come to the dance with her. They had been seeing each other for almost two months (although not really as a couple, per se) and she _still_ felt nervous around him. And then of course he disappeared off the face of the earth. She had attempted to call him. She had waited for him to call her. It had been two weeks since she had talked to him. Lisa felt anger well in her chest at her thoughts. The jerk hadn't even bothered to tell her he was going out of town, if that's in fact what had happened to him.

Of course she didn't know where he lived either, so she couldn't go check on him to make sure he was still alive. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. _Not that I'd want to, the jerk, _she fumed.

Lisa sighed. Her gaze fell to the short red dress that she wore and she sighed again. The dress had spaghetti straps that wrapped around her neck and fell only to her knees. Most of her back was exposed, the dress caressing the base of her spine. Small roses were sewn into the fabric; the thin silver thread glinted in the flashing lights. Cynthia had loaned her the dress and insisted she wear it. Lisa had no idea why and Cynthia wasn't telling her anything. It was like some big secret that Lisa wasn't in on. She had insisted that she had no reason to wear it, no _one_ to wear it for, but Cynthia had merely smiled, her eyes holding a secret.

Lisa smiled as a familiar song began to play through the speakers. Her eyes gazed around the room, taking in all of the dancing couples surrounding her. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She longed to be out on that dance floor, the arms of the man she cared about wrapped tightly around her waist. _Ha! Not going to happen._

Lisa shivered as she felt phantom arms wrap around her waist from behind, the hands splaying over her abdomen; trembled as she felt a phantom body press against her back. She closed her eyes for a moment and reveled in the feel of the imaginary warmth enveloping her body. Her eyes shot open however when a soft voice whispered in her ear, the dulcet tones flowing over the pounding music.

"Care for a dance?"

_I know I've been mistaken_

_But just give me a break and see the changes that I've made_

_I've got some imperfections_

_But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face_

Before she could respond the arms twisted around her and pulled her onto the dance floor. Hands trailed down her spine to her lower waist, the fingers barely brushed the small of her back, sending shivers up her spine. Lisa looked up as the man pulled her tight to him; so tight she could feel his heart beating steadily in his chest. She looked up and stared into the bright blue eyes of the man she had just been cursing.

"Jackson."

He gave a sly smile. "Lisa."

"What are you doing here?"

He looked away, a look of deep thought crossing his face. "Trying to brighten a gloomy situation," he responded after a moment.

Lisa had to beat down the sudden surge of happiness that poured through her. _You're mad at him damn it! _"Maybe I should have asked _why_ you're here."

The cocky smile didn't disappear. "I was invited."

Lisa's mouth dropped open for a moment but she quickly shut it. "What are you talking about? I didn't . . ." she stopped, sudden realization hitting her. "Cynthia. It all makes sense now. The dress. The secrecy. She invited you behind my back. I'll kill her."

Jackson laughed. "Well, _you_ wouldn't ask me."

"It was kind of hard to ask you when you weren't around!" she spat back. "I tried calling and you never answered your phone!"

_But you always find a way_

_To keep me right here waiting_

_You always find the words to say_

_To keep me right here waiting_

_And if you chose to walk away_

_I'd still be right here waiting_

_Searching for the things to say_

_To keep you right here waiting_

Lisa attempted to push away from him but Jackson merely tightened his hold on her, locking his fingers together on her back. She shivered again as his fingers brushed her naked skin. "I'm sorry I didn't call," he said softly, his breath tickling the skin of her cheek. "I had an emergency at work. I had something I had to take care of."

"For two weeks?!"

Jackson sighed. "Lisa. There are some things that I'm not going to be able to explain. Please just understand that."

Lisa glared up at him. "Why are you hiding things from me?"

Jackson sighed again. He pulled her tighter against him and placed his chin on the top of her head. It was getting harder and harder for him to lie to her while looking in her eyes. "It's a sensitive business. If I were to tell you all of the details of the security systems I have to create it would jeopardize so many people." _God that even sounds ridiculous to me._

_I hope you're not intending_

_To be so condescending it's as much as I can take_

_And you're so independent_

_You just refuse to bend so I keep bending till I break_

_Is he serious?_ "You're not serious." She stated. Lisa broke away from his chin, staring pointedly anywhere else but at him. "I mean, if you don't want to tell me the truth, then fine. I'll just-"

"You look beautiful tonight."

Lisa's gaze shot back to him, her eyes locking on his. Her heart thumped as she caught the intensity of his stare. There was something in his eyes that she hadn't seen before; something that had not been there before. "What?"

He smiled gently. "You look beautiful. The red brings out your eyes." He lifted one hand, his thumb tracing the outlines of her cheek. "I'm sorry," he said softly, keeping his eyes locked on hers.

_But you always find a way_

_To keep me right here waiting_

_You always find the words to say_

_To keep me right here waiting_

_And if you chose to walk away_

_I'd still be right here waiting_

_Searching for the things to say_

_To keep you right here waiting_

He should have looked away. He should not have stared into her eyes. For the last two weeks he had been able to think clearly; had been able to wrap his head around what he had to do. Interrogating the bastard had been easy. Jackson hadn't had to worry about anything else but getting the information that he needed. Lisa had tried to call several times, but he had ignored the calls. He'd had to keep focused. One little slip up and he would have lost concentration.

But then Cynthia had called. And it had thrown his world for a loop again. He had debated for days whether or not he should go to the dance; debated whether or not he should risk putting himself in a situation like this. He had been able to hold off every thought of her for two weeks and he had been able to think clearer. And now he's seen her again and the reservoir was once again open.

_I've made a commitment_

_I'm willing to bleed for you_

_I needed fulfillment_

_I found what I need in you_

"You can't just tell me I'm beautiful and expect me to forget that you disappeared for two weeks!" she burst out.

Jackson traced the outline of her lips with his thumb, the rough skin tickling her tender skin. "I know."

"Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because I can't. Everyone keeps secrets Lisa."

Lisa's heart thumped again. She couldn't disagree. There were still so many secrets that she kept from him. That she kept from everyone. And here she was, holding something so little- but something that hurt so much- against him. She pursed her lips slightly and looked down. Perhaps . . .

She sighed and trailed her hands around his waist from where they were balled into fists against his chest and wrapped them loosely around his neck. Lisa placed her head on his chest, burrowing into the warmth he emitted. She felt a chuckle build deep in his chest.

"Does this mean you forgive me?"

Lisa closed her eyes and sighed. "For now."

He chuckled again and squeezed her tighter. "I'll take it."

_Why can't you just forgive me?_

_I don't want to relive all the mistakes I've made along the way_

_But I always find a way_

_To keep you right here waiting_

_I always find the words to say_

_To keep you right here waiting_

He was falling. He could feel it. And the more he stayed around Lisa, the further he would fall. She caused him to second guess himself every time he stared into her clear, unsuspecting, trusting eyes. And that frightened him.

Jackson wasn't sure who he was anymore. The more he felt his heart beat in cadence with hers, the more he felt himself slipping away. And he couldn't help it; couldn't _stop_ it. Dancing with her now, pressed up against her, feeling her warmth against him, he was afraid.

That was not something he felt. She had turned his world upside down.

_But you always find a way_

_To keep me right here waiting_

_You always find the words to say_

_To keep me right here waiting_

She was comfortable. And it scared her. For so long she had kept to herself, hid herself away from anyone. The attack two years ago had left more than one scar on her and no matter how hard she tried not to allow it to get to her, it still had. And it had taken a lot for her to open up the way she had. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that she would meet someone like Jackson.

Sure, he had his secrets. Secrets that drove her crazy sometimes. But how could she really expect him to reveal everything about himself to her when she couldn't do the same in return? His secrets couldn't do anything to harm her.

Lisa opened her eyes as she realized they weren't moving. The music still pounded out of the speakers, couples still danced around them, but they were still.

_And if I chose to walk away_

_Would you be right here waiting?_

_Searching for the things to say_

_To keep me right here waiting_

As the music stopped, Lisa looked up into Jackson's eyes, noticing an emotion in them she had not seen before, one that made her heart pound and her throat stick. His fingers touched her cheeks gently. The room around them seemed to disappear; the only people that mattered were each other. "Lisa," she heard him whisper just before he leaned in, gently brushing her lips with his.

* * *

**AN: **Okay, so he's almost completely fallen. Not totally, but he's losing his grip, isn't he? But is it going to last or is he going to realize what he's doing and push her away again? You'll just have to stay tuned to find out! 


	9. The Aftermath

_Cause everytime we touch  
__I get this feeling  
__And everytime we kiss I swear I can fly  
__Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last  
__Need you by my side  
__Cause everytime we touch, I feel this static  
__And everytime we touch, I reach for the sky  
__Can't you hear my heart beat so  
__I can't let you go  
__Want you in my life_

_Cascada; Everytime We Touch (Ballad Version)_

Always

**Chapter Nine: The Aftermath**

A tingle erupted throughout her body as his lips brushed hers. She leaned into him as well, encouraging the kiss as much as possible. Her hands trailed up his back and tickled the back of his neck, burying themselves in his hair. Jackson's arms went around her waist, pulling her closer to him, pressing her body against his as he reveled in the feel of her against him; gloried in the mixture of his breath with hers.

The world around her was disappearing, the people surrounding them vague emanations in her mind. All that existed was him. All that mattered was the feel of his lips against hers, his heartbeat thudding in tandem with hers. All that she could feel were his hands pressed into the small of her back. All she could hear was the pounding in her ears and Jackson's heavy breathing.

Jackson, on the other hand, was aware of everything around them. He could sense the press of the bodies around him; could hear the near silent whispers of the students as they danced. He was more than aware of the feel of Lisa's heart pounding in her chest. And he was conscious to the fact that he was losing his mind entirely. He hadn't meant to. He hadn't meant to get this close. This was never supposed to happen.

His head told him to pull away; to break away from the sweet scent of Lisa. But his head was not completely in control. There were other parts of him controlling his movements, his emotions. His gut for one. And, as much as it pained him to say it, his heart was leading him places he didn't want to be.

A loud 'ahem' sounded behind them. Lisa jerked away, her hands flying to her lips. Her wide eyes met his for just a moment before she turned around, a slight blush gracing her cheeks.

"Miss Reisert may I speak with you outside for a moment?" a serious looking teacher asked.

"Of course," Lisa replied.

She followed the woman quickly, both exiting through the open double doors. The teacher stopped, turning on her heel to stare at Lisa. "Miss Reisert I have to say that that was completely inappropriate."

"I am so sorry."

"You are supposed to be acting as a chaperone; someone who is a role model for the students. You have to know that public displays of affection are not allowed at a _school_ dance."

"No, of course not," Lisa replied, forcing back the laughter that threatened to bubble up in her throat. "I am so sorry Mrs. Temple. It will not happen again."

"I should hope not. You are not setting a very good example for our students."

Lisa merely smiled in response and watched as Mrs. Temple walked away. Jackson stood just outside of the door, leaning against the doorframe, silently watching the entire exchange. He smiled politely at the woman as she passed him. She merely ignored him, a disdainful look crossing her face.

"She was a little irritable, wasn't she?" he asked, craning his neck to watch the woman walk away.

"Well, um . . ." Lisa replied, a blush crossing her cheeks again. "She . . ."

Jackson was in front of her in a second and brushed a kiss against her cheeks. "You're beautiful when you blush."

Lisa looked up into his eyes. A small smile played across his lips as he gazed down at her. Suddenly self-conscious from his piercing gaze, she stepped back and grabbed his hand. "Come on. Let's go back inside," she replied as she pulled him along behind her.

* * *

Jackson followed Lisa with his eyes, keeping track of her as she made her way around the room, talking to various students. He chuckled to himself as he watched her catch sight of the old prudish teacher and veer in another direction. The woman- Mrs. Temple he thought her name was- had kept an eye on them ever since berating Lisa earlier in the evening. Jackson had almost kissed Lisa again just to piss the woman off more.

His eyes darkened. What had he been thinking? She was distracting him again. He had allowed her to get into his mind. This wasn't going to be good. For weeks now he had fought with himself; constantly telling himself that she was nothing to him. Nothing but a job. _She still is,_ he argued. _Nothing but a fucking job._

_But you kissed her,_ a voice whispered back.

_It was a mistake. It won't happen again._

_But you still kissed her._

Jackson scowled. _She's only a job._

_Keep telling yourself that._

_Shut up._

He knew he was going to have to use her eventually. The company would have called him off already otherwise. But would he actually be able to just leave her? A voice at the back of his mind nagged. _Yes, God damn it. She's just a job!_

Jackson ran a hand through his hair, pulling his bangs away from his eyes. These internal debates that he seemed to be having more and more often were beginning to piss him off. He had never seriously considered himself to be crazy, but he was beginning to have doubts about that now. Maybe it was because of the eight weeks of surveillance. He had never watched someone for that long before. He had never needed to. It was always for a week, maybe a week and a half tops. Then he would know what to use against his target.

But not with Lisa. She had intrigued him. Her almost complete lack of a social life, the way she would flinch if a male customer drew too close, the way she would smile without actually smiling. Maybe that was why he was never able to stop following her until the flight. He was curious. He wanted to find out her secrets. He wanted to know what she was hiding.

Perhaps his curiosity is what had motivated him to stay close to her.

A poke to his side startled him from his reverie. "What are you thinking so hard about?" Lisa asked as she stepped up next to him.

Jackson smiled as he turned to her. "Work," he answered truthfully.

"Ah," she replied. "Well, enough of that. Come on. Let's dance."

Jackson allowed her to lead him onto the dance floor. His mind wandered again as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her to him tightly. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as they moved, breathing in her soft, sweet scent, his mind contemplating what he would do when he was ordered to use her.

* * *

Lisa yawned and stretched. The night was finally over. The clean-up had gone by quickly; the prom committee even staying to help out. She was just ready to go home. Her feet ached from the heels; she still didn't feel entirely comfortable in the short dress. She couldn't wait to go home and take a shower.

Peering around the entrance quickly to make sure no one was around her, Lisa leaned down quickly and slipped off her shoes. She sighed the moment her bare feet touched the cool linoleum. God that felt so good. She was going to have blisters. _Damn new shoes._

Lisa exited the hotel after bidding the night manager a good night. He smiled at her and waved. With another yawn, she began walking through the dim parking lot. She kept her eyes on the parking lot, watching where she stepped to make sure she didn't step on something that would cause her pain later. Lisa was almost to her car when a pair of feet appeared in her line of sight. Her head jerked up as she stopped in her tracks. The tension in her body eased when she noticed who it was.

"I thought you went home."

Jackson grinned and shrugged. "Felt like waiting." His grin widened as he noticed her shoeless feet. A questioning look entered his eyes as he stared at her.

Lisa lifted her left hand and waved the offending shoes. "They were beginning to hurt my feet. Trust me, walking on pavement barefoot is much more preferable than walking in these demon shoes," she replied as she walked closer to his car

Jackson laughed. "I'll have to take your word on that."

"Did you have fun tonight?" Lisa asked as she leaned next to him against the car. "I mean, as much fun as you can at a high school prom."

"I enjoyed myself," he replied simply, his eyes turned up as he gazed at the stars.

"You seem like it," Lisa said softly.

Jackson turned to her and took in the somber expression on her face. He moved in front of her swiftly and grabbed hold of her hands, pinning her arms to the side of her car. She started to protest- _so cute, really, _he thought- but the words died on her mouth as she caught the look in his blue eyes. Before she could say anything else he lowered his head and brushed her lips softly with his.

He pulled away after the brief, chaste kiss and instead gazed down at her again. Lisa felt naked as Jackson's penetrating gaze roamed over her as if drinking in every part of her. She felt a tremble begin to travel along her skin and her heart began to pound when his eyes narrowed as he stared down at her.

She knew exactly what he was looking at.

* * *

His heart began to pound as his eyes took in the pale mark on Lisa's chest. The scar glowed slightly in the lamplight shining from above them. Jackson trailed his thumb over the aberration that marred her smooth skin. His eyes moved up to hers slowly. The almost abject fear he saw there took his breath away. "Lisa," he started.

"Um, I should go. It's late," she interrupted, grabbing his hand and stepping away. "Thank you for tonight. I really had fun."

Jackson stepped back as Lisa opened her car door and slipped in with one last small smile. The car started seconds later and with a short wave, Lisa drove off. He watched her leave, confusion grabbing hold of his mind and settling in. _Maybe there's something about her I don't know.

* * *

_

Lisa curled up on her side, hugging a pillow to her chest. The room was dark, the blinds closed against the streetlamp outside. The red dress she had been wearing was crumpled on the floor by her bed. She had donned a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a long-sleeved shirt that covered all of her. She wanted nothing showing; she didn't want the world to see her right now.

She felt like an idiot. She had run away from Jackson when he had done nothing wrong. Lisa's fear from two years ago had overridden her rational thought. She never wanted to talk about it; never wanted anyone to know. _Why didn't you just lie to him?_ _Tell him anything but the truth?_

Lisa curled up tighter, her arms clutching the pillow harder, and closed her eyes. She willed sleep to come. Maybe her dreams would be better than real life.

* * *

Jackson's eyes gazed at the computer screen, his eyes skimming over the words and they scrolled across his screen. There was nothing. No record of a Lisa Reisert in the police database or anything affiliated. Nothing but her work records and regular government records; her birth certificate, her social security number, her school records, even what camp she spent the summer at when she was ten. Of course he knew all of this already. He knew all of her information from when he was following her. None of this was new to him. He rubbed his eyes slowly. He had been up all night searching for some record, something that would offer him any information. And here it was, almost nine o'clock in the morning and still he had found nothing.

He had to know. One doesn't get a scar like she had by accident. Something had to have happened to her.

The sound of shuffling by his door drew his attention away from his laptop. Jackson stood up slowly, grabbing the gun he kept in the desk drawer. He made his way to the front door and stopped just at the side of it. A crunching sound caused him to look down. A manila folder was resting just inside of the door, obviously having been pushed in through the crack between the floor and the door.

Jackson opened the door slowly and poked his head out, looking up and down the hallway, trying to catch sight of anyone that was near. Finding no one, he tucked the gun in the back of his pants after switching the safety back on. He bent down and picked up the packet. Jackson scanned the folder, attempting to find any clue as to who sent it.

He walked back to his computer and opened the folder, tearing the flap open. Jackson reached into the packet and pulled out the pile of papers inside. His eyes narrowed as he flipped through the pages. "Son of a bitch."

Every page was a photo. Every photo of him and Lisa at the dance, dancing close, their arms wrapped around each other. The last picture was of them standing by her car, him hovering over her, their faces only inches apart.

* * *

**AN: **Hey guys! I'm back! I am so sorry for the wait, but I wound up sick again. It was difficult for me to write or type, but I did have this chapter running through my mind the entire time so I was able to write it as soon as I was better. My fingers are still a little numb, but I have control over them now and am actually able to write and type. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Please, let me know what you think! 


	10. Decisions

_Wait, another minute here, time will kill us after all  
__Now can you feel its second hand wrapped around your neck  
__So fall into my eyes and fall into my lies  
__But don't you forget  
__The more you turn away, the more I want you to stay  
__Cold (But I'm still here); Evans Blue_

Always

**Chapter Ten: Decisions**

"What's he doing?" the voice crackled over the phone.

"Nothing," he grumbled. "He's been up all damn night working on his computer."

"What's he working on?"

"I have no idea. He has so many frickin' firewalls on the thing it's like tryin' to break into NASA."

"Which you've done before."

He sighed. "Yeah, I have. But only to plant a virus, not to watch what they're doing."

They were silent for a moment. Not always a good thing. "Did you deliver the package?"

"Yeah. Slipped it under the door just like you asked."

"What did he do?" He could hear the smile in their voice.

"Dunno. I didn't really stick around to find out. If he'd've found me I'm sure he would've found a hundred ways to kill me with just his thumb."

There was soft laughter on the other side of the line. "And your associate? Is she still watching the Reisert woman?"

"As far as I know she hasn't even left her side to go to the bathroom."

"That has to be messy," they paused again. "You're doing well. Keep it up. I don't have to remind you what happened to the last guy who disappointed me."

He felt his heart speed up. "Of course not."

"Good. We'll be checking in soon." And with that the phone clicked off.

* * *

The phone ringing pulled Lisa from a deep sleep. She groaned, burying her head under her comforter further. She pulled the comforter tighter around her head and brought her knees up to her chest. The incessant ringing still did not stop. Her brow knitted.

A content sigh left her lips as the ringing stopped. Lisa relaxed her grip on the blankets. A frustrated moan escaped her mouth as her phone started to ring again. She reached her hand up, poking through the edge of her blankets and grabbed the annoying device.

"Hullo?" she asked, hitting the talk button.

"Leese?"

"Hey dad."

"Did I wake you?" Joe asked, concern flitting through his voice.

"No. No it's okay. What's up?"

"If I woke you-"

"No, dad. It's fine."

"If you say so," he responded. "I was just calling to see if you wanted to grab some lunch. They're going to be working on the house all day and the banging is starting to give me a headache."

"Sure. Do you want to meet somewhere?"

Joe chuckled lightly. "How about I cook you something? I doubt you've had a good home cooked meal in awhile."

Lisa rolled her eyes, thankful that her father couldn't see her. He worried about her way too much. "Sure dad. That sounds like fun."

She could almost hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again. "That's great! How about I give you an hour?"

"That's more than enough time."

"Great. I'll see you then."

"Yup, see you then," she replied and disconnected. She dropped her hand, still clutching the phone. The flashing screen drew her attention. One missed call, it told her. Expecting it to be her father, Lisa pressed the button. There was no name, only a phone number she was all too familiar with.

* * *

"Well, don't you seem in a hurry."

He could see Jackson in his rearview mirror bolting from his apartment complex door. What could he possibly be in a hurry for?

He watched Jackson slow his pace down slightly; still walking at a quick pace. He didn't even seem to notice he was being watched, the stupid bastard. And he was supposed to be one of the best? The man snorted derisively. The only thing Rippner had going for him was his computer skills. And that wasn't saying much.

He punched a button on his cell phone and waited patiently for his associate to answer.

"Yeah it's me," he said at the opening click. "Rippner's leaving. I'll follow him best I can but he'll probably go towards you," he paused, listening to the other person talk. "He's leavin' in a hurry which means he probably wants to make sure she's okay," he paused again. "I don't know why he doesn't just call. I'm not a mind reader for fuck's sake."

He could hear the anger building on the other side. "Just watch out for him," he snapped. "Especially if he's goin' where I think he's goin'."

And without waiting for a response, he flipped the phone closed.

* * *

"The Donaldson case has been closed. Andrews should be out of town by now," Raymond reported, pushing his glasses up with one finger. "We heard from Austin this morning. Her handler reported that everything was going smoothly."

"And the target?" the man behind the desk asked.

"Completely unaware as usual."

He nodded. "Good. And the other business?"

Confused, Raymond watched him with knit brows. "Sir?"

He sighed. "The project I have you working on Raymond."

"Ah, yes. It is as you suspected sir."

"So he is being watched?" he asked, holding his hand out for the file Raymond was holding.

Raymond handed the thick manila folder to him. "Yes. It seems Wright and Barker have been called out. What should we do?"

He was silent for a moment as he skimmed over the report. "Nothing. Not now. Let's wait and see what they'll do; how they'll take it."

Raymond was becoming perplexed. No matter how unemotional his boss normally was, he was never this apathetic about one of his own.

"Are you sure, sir? We both know what-"

"I'm sure Raymond. Just continue your surveillance. Nothing more."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"The spaghetti smells delicious dad," Lisa called as she walked from her bathroom, drying her hair with the towel in one hand. "You know you spoil me."

"And you object?" Joe asked, chuckling.

Lisa smiled as she sat at the breakfast bar. "No. Of course not."

"I didn't think so."

Lisa studied her father as he moved around her kitchen. He really did spoil her; cooking her lunch even when she offered to make something herself. It had been a long time since she had had some of his good home cooking so she didn't argue too much. "How's the construction going? Are they almost done?"

Joe sighed. "Thankfully, yes. The house upstairs looks almost completely different," he paused. "All except for your room, like I told you."

Lisa gave a small smile. "I told you to change it if you wanted to."

"No, no. You may want to come stay the night one night," Joe responded, holding up a hand to silence her. "You never know."

"Okay," she agreed, figuring it would just be easier to agree with him to keep arguing.

"How's work?" he asked as he added the spaghetti to the boiling water. "How's Cynthia?"

"Everything's fine. We just had a high school prom last night. That was one of the longest nights of my life," she laughed. "My ears are still ringing from the music."

Joe laughed. Before he could ask her anything else, the phone began to ring. Lisa reached across the counter to grab it. She hesitated before answering, her eyes going up to meet her father's. "By all means. Don't let me stop you," Joe said as he turned back to the food he was preparing.

"Hello?"

"Lisa?"

"Jackson?"

She could hear him exhale on the other end. "Are you alright?"

Lisa paused, confused. "I'm fine. Why?"

"Never mind. What are you doing tonight?"

"I don't know. It depends on what you ask me," she replied, a small smile on her face. "Anything but dancing."

Jackson laughed softly. "So you're okay? After last night I mean."

"Last night?" she paused. Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered when he noticed her scar. "Oh. Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry about that."

Jackson was silent on the other side for a moment. "Okay. Dancing is out of the question. What about a movie? I can pick you up at seven."

"Sure. I'm free. I'll see you then."

"See you then."

Lisa turned off her phone with a small smile on her face. She looked up and almost jumped out of the chair when she noticed that her father was standing right in front of her. "Dad! You scared me."

Joe stared at her, one eyebrow raised and a small smile on his face. "Who was that?"

"A, um, new friend," she responded hesitantly. "We met on the plane from Dallas."

"Really? Good for you," he said, placing a plate of food before her. "I hope you have fun."

Lisa stared up at her father as he turned back to the stove. It wasn't like him to not ask questions. He would normally ask her a million questions. Maybe he was finally starting to realize she wasn't as fragile as he thought she was.

* * *

Jackson sat in his car, his eyes glancing in the rearview mirror at Lisa's window. He had scoured the parking lot in front of her apartment for any car that he wasn't used to. If they were watching him he knew they had to be watching her as well. The pictures just proved it. He was going to have to figure out who they were before they could do any harm.

Wait. When did he start thinking that way? Come to think of it, why had he rushed over to make sure she was okay? _I just don't want anyone to think they can take my hit,_ he thought angrily.

_Keep telling yourself that._

_Oh shut up._

_You know why you wanted to make sure she was okay._

_Shut up._

Jackson rubbed his temples. He really was going insane. Shaking his head, he threw the car in reverse and left the parking lot.

* * *

"I'm sorry we had to park all the way out here," Jackson said, tugging on his shirt sleeves.

"It's okay. It's a nice night and I don't mind the walk."

Lisa tugged at the hem of her shirt. The humidity was terrible. They had only been walking for five minutes and already it was getting to her. No matter how long she had lived in Florida, it still bothered her. Jackson, she noticed, didn't even seem to be bothered by the heat. His eyes were scanning the streets around them, ever on the lookout for something or someone that she wasn't aware of.

He had seemed so much more stressed throughout the evening than usual. Lisa wasn't even sure if he had paid attention during the movie. He was tense; always seeming to be ready for something.

Finally tired of the silence, Lisa turned to him. "About last night," she started.

Jackson turned to her, his blue eyes shining in the lamplight. "What about it?"

The knife was at her throat before either of them could do anything, an arm wrapping around her waist. Lisa's eyes widened as memories began to flash through her mind. Flashbacks of a day two years past. Her body froze as fear and panic coursed through her veins. _Oh, God. Not again._

* * *

**AN: **Okay. Here it is. The latest chapter. It's not my favorite, although I had my friend read through it and she liked it. I already have the next chapter written out in my head so hopefully it won't take me too long to post it. :) I think I may need to rewatch Red Eye for just a little more inspiration!


	11. Scars

_Stand my ground, I won't give in  
__No more denying, I got to face it  
__Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
__If I don't make it, someone else will  
__Stand my ground  
__~Stand My Ground; Within Temptation_

Always

**Chapter Eleven: Scars**

She could feel it. The panic was freezing every muscle in her body, petrifying every bone. Everything from two years ago coursed through her mind. She wanted to struggle, wanted to break away from his iron grip. Panic coursed through her body like wildfire. _Not again. Oh God not again. _Everything around her disappeared save for the man behind her and the knife at her throat. Lisa could vaguely hear Jackson in front of her dealing with the two other men that had jumped out at them.

A flicker of worry coursed through her. Followed once again by panic until a sense of calm flowed through her. This was not her. Not anymore. She would not allow this to overwhelm her again.

A part of her clicked on then. A part of her that she had never used but had always been aware of. Lisa ran through the self defense steps in her mind; steps that she had memorized years ago. With anger flickering in her eyes Lisa slammed her heel into the man's foot.

He grunted and loosened his grip slightly. Confident after that response, Lisa kicked him in the shin, slammed her head into his nose, and, when she heard the satisfying crunch and felt the loosening of his grip again, she pulled free, twirled around and kneed him in the groin. The man doubled over in pain, his eyes wide. Lisa finished him off with a swift kick to his chin, effectively knocking him unconscious.

A sound behind her startled Lisa and she turned quickly, swinging her fist up.

* * *

Jackson stared at the two men standing in front of him. He was slipping. There was no reason these men should have been able to sneak up on him; not with his training. He was slipping; and it was on such a downward spiral that it was putting his own life, not to mention Lisa's, in danger. He was glaring at the two men, too furious with himself at first to respond to the knife one man carried.

Jackson wondered, for a brief moment, if the company had sent these men to scare him into doing his job. He snorted and quickly dismissed the idea. They would never stoop that low.

"Just give us the money," the man without the knife snapped. Obviously he'd said it once before when Jackson wasn't paying attention.

Jackson's eyes turned toward him; every possible form of torture running through his mind. He wouldn't kill them. Not in front of Lisa. But there were so many other ways to maim and torture these idiots without killing them.

Finally tired of not receiving a response, one of the men grabbed Jackson's shoulder and yanked him forward. In one fluid movement Jackson grabbed hold of the man's hand and twisted. The man's eyes bugged out before his face twisted into a look of pain as his arm was pulled behind his back.

Jackson kneed the man in the back of his knees causing him to fall backward. Jackson let his arm go, side-stepping him as he fell, and slammed his elbow into the thug's throat followed by a quick punch to the temple, knocking the man unconscious.

He heard rather than saw the other man, the one with the knife, take a swing at his back. Jackson ducked under the wild swing and then jumped to his feet, grabbing hold of the knife wielder's arm and pulling forward. His forehead connected with the cartilage in the man's nose and he could hear the satisfying crunch as it broke.

Before the man even fell Jackson relieved him of the weapon, knocking it from his hand and across the sidewalk. The man barely made a noise as Jackson finished him off with a kick to his temple, nothing that would kill him of course.

Jackson stood up straight, smoothing out his shirt and straightening his hair. A grunt and a thud behind him drew him back to his surroundings. He turned around just in time to see Lisa finishing off the third man. A smirk crossed his lips as he watched her.

He stepped up behind her, his arm outstretched to touch her shoulder. Jackson almost missed it as she pivoted on one foot, bringing her right fist up in a wide punch. He blocked it as a reflex and then took hold of her clenched fist. "Lisa," he said calmly. "Lisa it's me."

He could still see the panic and fear in her eyes. Jackson ducked down slightly so that they could be on eye level and held her gaze. "It's okay. It's just me."

"I-I know," she stuttered. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Y-yeah."

Jackson nodded. "Sure. Come on. Let's get you home," he replied and then started once again towards the car, his hand wrapped around hers.

Lisa didn't move as Jackson started to lead her away. He turned to her, concern flitting across his face. "Lisa?"

"I-um," she paused. "No. Not home. Not yet. I'm just not ready to go home."

Jackson stared at her for a moment and then sighed as he glanced at their surroundings. "Where do you want to go?"

Lisa shook her head. "I don't know," her eyes flicked around the street until a building caught her eye. "There. That's fine."

Jackson turned to where she was pointing and narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Please don't ask me that again," Lisa replied, closing her eyes for a moment before crossing the street.

Jackson watched her for a moment knowing that this was going to be a bad idea. This was not what was going to help her overcome whatever had caused her to panic so much.

* * *

Jackson was simply watching as Lisa downed a shot of vodka and drinking his own glass of water. He had tried (numerous times) to get her to just go home. He still didn't like being out in the open like this. Even though he knew that the company would never send such amateurs to harass him like this he did not like taking the risk.

Jackson had also tried to get Lisa to not drink; tried to convince her that the shaking was only because of adrenaline and not from fear but she hadn't listened. They hadn't spoken since they first entered the bar, not since he had attempted to get her to go home instead.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked finally.

Lisa looked up at him, her eyes slightly glassy. "About what?"

"About whatever has you so freaked out."

"We were just attacked Jackson."

"There's more to it than that. You kicked his ass just fine. Something else is scaring you." _Something I don't know about._

Lisa was silent as she stared over at him. She poured another shot, lifted it to her lips but set it down instead. "It happened two years ago," she said quietly.

Jackson leaned in slightly to hear her over the music playing from the jukebox. He said nothing.

"It was in a parking lot in the middle of the day."

He sat back slightly, his eyes narrowing. He wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

"He grabbed me from behind and pushed me to the ground between cars. It was . . . I don't . . . he held a knife to my throat the entire time."

Jackson's back had stiffened by this time, knowing what was coming. He knew where this story led.

"I just remember the fear. And the pain. I remember him being above me. I don't even remember his face," she paused as her voice cracked. Lisa cleared her throat and then continued. "I don't remember getting in my car or driving home. All I remember was waking up in my bed the next morning."

Jackson could feel his nails biting into his palms as he tried to control his anger. Someone had _dared_ to touch . . _No. You shouldn't be worried about this. You're more pissed that you didn't know about it, _he tried to tell himself. "Did you-"

"Report it?" she asked, smiling ruefully. "I never told anyone about it. Not even my dad."

_That explains why I never found any record of anything. _"Really?"

"I know. You'd think I did because of how insanely protective he is of me. But I didn't," she paused again, looking up from her drink to catch his gaze. "I couldn't tell anyone. I guess I fell into the same depressed state that most women do. I thought I had done something to cause it; that it was _my_ fault it happened.

"I took some self defense lessons last year. Just some basic moves to be able to protect myself if I ever needed it. I haven't even talked about the-about it since it happened. I hoped I would just forget it."

Jackson remained silent, absorbing her words as she spoke them. "Lisa-" he finally started, but she cut him off.

"So you'll have to excuse me if I just want to drink all of this away," she said and then drank the shot she had poured earlier. "Have some yourself," she said with a halfhearted smile. "I'm buying this time."

* * *

Lisa fought with the door handle, attempting to put the keys in backwards, her back pressed into the wood. Jackson smirked against her lips. He briefly pulled away, grabbing the keys from her and unlocking the door. Lisa pulled him back to her, her lips finding his. His hand twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open quickly.

Lisa stumbled backward for a moment before Jackson caught her, pulling her to him. He kicked the door shut, not worrying about locking it and walked forward quickly, slamming her into the wall behind them, pressing his body up against hers, putting as little distance between them as possible. Jackson's lips trailed from her mouth, pressing light kisses to her cheek, her chin, slowly making his way to her neck.

"Jackson," Lisa whispered. When he said nothing, continuing to press kisses to her throat, she repeated a little more forcefully, "Jackson."

She pushed him away slightly, forcing him to look at her. Lisa gazed into his ice blue eyes, noticing the unhidden desire resting there. She kissed the corner of his mouth lightly, reaching over and locking the door, and then pulled away, breaking free from his arms as she smiled coyly up at him.

"Lisa?" Jackson called after her. He watched her for a moment as she walked down the dark hallway. A single light was flicked on in a room a few feet away from him. He had never seen her like this; this completely, absolutely and utterly drunk. Of course he couldn't say he didn't mind it. Not after she practically jumped him in the elevator. Which led to them being in her apartment now.

A shoe fell from the doorway, rolling on the carpet and hitting the wall. Seconds later a second shoe came from the room, rolling into the wall as well. Curiosity getting the better of him, Jackson walked towards the room. He stopped as he reached the room and leaned against the door frame. Lisa was reclining on the bed, leaning on her arms as she looked up at him. A small amused smirk crossed his face. "Lisa?"

Lisa smiled up at him. "I was uncomfortable. Those shoes kill my feet."

Jackson laughed. "I see."

"Are you just going to stand there?" Lisa asked, patting the blue comforter next to her.

Jackson cocked his head slightly, debating her offer.

* * *

Lisa watched him as he stood against the door frame. Jackson had an odd look on his face, something hovering between desire and uncertainty. Finally he entered the room, walking slowly, testing. She smiled invitingly up at him as he stopped in front of her, his hands in his pockets. He still stared down at her quietly, a small smile on his lips. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Jackson took a deep breath. "I think I should go."

Lisa's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why?"

"Because if I stay I might do something that you'll regret in the morning." He replied, closing his eyes briefly.

She stood up quickly, pressing her lips to his. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and felt as Jackson slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. Lisa pulled back gently, leaning backwards with her arms still around him. They fell onto the bed, Jackson quickly putting one arm out to break their fall.

Lisa turned away minutes later, pressing her cheek to his. "I'm not going to regret anything," she murmured.

* * *

Jackson's eyes clenched shut at her words. He wanted to believe her. And he would have too, if he couldn't still taste the alcohol on her breath, on her lips. _Damn, her lips. _She was making it so damn difficult for him. Every move that she made against him, every brush of her lips against his, heightened his desire, his _need_, for her. But, God help him, he couldn't do it like this. Not while she was drunk. Not while she wasn't in her right mind and not when she was still freaked out about the man earlier that night. Not when he now knew her deepest, darkest secret.

And thinking thoughts like these made him seem like a better man than he was. He knew he was getting too close. Years ago, hell, even months ago, he would have used this to his advantage. He would have done this just so that she would get close to him so that he could hurt her later with his betrayal. Anything that would hurt her more. But now . . . now he was having second thoughts. He should have never gone to that fucking dance. He should have never danced so close to her; never should have kissed her.

That kiss, that one simple, seemingly innocent kiss, had opened the floodgates to something much worse. Now he wasn't able to control himself around her. _God what am I doing?_ He wondered.

Jackson gazed down into her slightly dazed eyes. And he knew he couldn't do it. Not when she was like this. Not when she wasn't herself. "I think you should go to sleep," he whispered.

Hurt flashed in Lisa's eyes at his words, but she quickly hid it. "I don't-"

"You're drunk, Lisa. You're still freaked out about what happened earlier tonight. It's not a good idea." Jackson pushed himself off of her, standing up straight. He picked her up quietly and walked the few steps to the head of her bed. Placing her down gently, he placed a soft, chaste kiss to her forehead. "Sleep," he said, pulling her sheet up over her.

He turned away from her quickly, hoping to get out of the room before he changed his mind. A soft hand gripped his as he turned. Jackson looked down at the pale hand clutching his and then looked into her green eyes.

"Stay," she whispered.

Jackson's heart pounded in his chest as he stared into her eyes. "Please," she whispered again, "stay."

He swallowed hard, noticing the hurt and unshed tears in her eyes. Jackson nodded his consent without saying a word. He took off his shoes and slowly climbed onto the soft mattress as Lisa lifted the sheets. The minute he was next to her, Lisa curled up against him, burying her face in his chest. He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting against himself. Finally he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, placing his chin on top of her soft curls.

This wasn't good. He was jeopardizing his job; his life. And for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to care.

* * *

**AN: **There you have it! I hope that all of you liked it! And kudos to anyone who can figure out where I got the self defense technique from.


	12. Shower and A Coffee

_Now I've awakened, new life flows through me  
__It seems I'm becoming a perfect bloodletting machine.  
__And inside this madness, it all looks so clear.  
__The sound of my voice is the last thing that you'll ever hear._

_Sakkara__; Hourcast_

Always

**Chapter Twelve: Shower and a Coffee**

The first thing she noticed when she woke up was that she was warm. The second thing she noticed was that she was comfortable as well. And the third thing, by the time that it passed through her sleep fogged mind, was the pair of arms wrapped around her waist. It was then that she felt the soft shirt underneath her cheek and the thin but hard stomach beneath her hand. The headache that came next reminded her of what had happened the night before.

Cautiously, Lisa opened her eyes and tilted her head up. Jackson's sleeping face was what greeted her. His face was peaceful; none of the carefully guarded expressions that he normally wore marred his features. With a sigh, and a sense of hesitation, Lisa slowly pulled herself free of Jackson's warm embrace.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly when she was almost free, his arms tightened around her waist. Lisa stilled until his eyes relaxed and then pulled herself the rest of the way free. She slid out from under the covers, almost embarrassed, and almost completely thankful, that she had spent the entire night in her normal clothes. She glanced down at him one more time and then left the room, making her way to the kitchen. A good cup of coffee is just what she needed.

And maybe a long shower.

* * *

A buzzing against his hip woke him. At first he was too disoriented, not sure exactly where he was. The room was different, the walls too pale for his own apartment. It as when he rolled over and a familiar scent hit his nose that he realized where he was and that he was alone.

Jackson sat up slowly, rubbing his hand over his face and through his hair. The buzzing started again. He pulled the phone free from the holster. "Rippner."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" the person on the other side of the line said, not sounding at all sorry.

_Fuck._ "What do you want?"

"An update."

"Everything's fine. I'm keeping an eye on her."

"And does she suspect anything?"

Jackson snorted. "Of course not. What am I? An amateur?"

"Good," they paused and Jackson could almost hear the smirk in their voice when they spoke again. "Are you with her now?"

He paused. "Yes."

"If you blow this Rippner-"

Jackson felt his ire rising. "I won't," he cut in, his voice calmer than he felt.

"You better not." With that they hung up.

Jackson sighed and hung up. He thought about just laying right back down and going back to sleep but thought better of it. He slipped from the bed, played with the idea of putting on his shoes but dismissed it, and then padded to the door.

The sound of the shower running stalled him. Jackson stared at the slightly open bathroom door. Part of his brain, the manager part, told him to keep walking, to not complicate things any further. But the other part, the just Jackson part that was rearing its head a little too much lately, told him to go towards the door. And unfortunately he listened.

Jackson moved silently to the bathroom door and opened it a little wider. The steam was what hit him first as he glanced in. He could see her outline through the frosted glass of her shower door. The Jackson side perked up again as he watched her for a moment. He suppressed it. He suppressed the urge to just jump in and join her. _Fuck. Just a damn job._

Jackson closed the door just as silently as he'd opened it and then left the room. The smell of fresh brewed coffee beckoned to him.

* * *

Lisa dried off and threw a thick robe around her, cinching the tie around her waist. She took a hand towel and left the room, drying her hair in the process. Lisa noticed the empty bed, the shoes still there, and the closed door and took advantage of the empty room to change into shorts and a t-shirt.

Lisa found him leaning against the counter in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee. All she could see were Jackson's eyes over the rim of the cup. His guarded expression was back up but she thought she could see a flash of something, she couldn't tell what, in his eyes as he caught sight of her.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

Lisa moved around him, completely aware of how close he was to her in the tight space of the kitchen. The shower had done nothing for her. Her senses were still too hyper aware. The headache had not diminished.

"You need to drink some coffee," He said softly.

Lisa chuckled lightly. "Oh god, yes," she paused as she stirred her coffee and leaned against the counter next to him, just barely touching his arm with her own. He stiffened for a moment and then relaxed. She pondered it for a moment and then let it go. It was normal for someone to react that way when a person gets near them. At least for her it was. "Did you sleep well?"

Jackson looked up at her, his blue eyes distant. "Yes. Fine. You?"

"I think the alcohol helped with that," Lisa laughed. "And maybe the company."

Jackson gave a small smile, his eyes finally focusing on her. "How could I say no?"

Lisa turned to her right, leaning her hip against the counter. She stared up at him as she took a drink from her cup. She frowned down at the cup for a moment. _Too strong._ "You did if I recall. I don't remember much of what happened last night, but I do remember that."

"Yeah, well."

She looked down for a moment and then back up. "Thank you. For last night I mean. Not many guys would do that. You're a good guy."

Jackson gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Oh, I'm really not."

Lisa set her cup down on the counter and stepped in front of him, her feet spread apart slightly, resting next to his. She placed one hand around his, her thumb rubbing the back of his hand lightly. "You are. You listened quietly to the drunken ramblings of a woman, took her home, and then _didn't_ sleep with her. That is what a good person does."

He stared down at her and then twisted away to set his cup down next to hers. Jackson leaned forward, his hands going around her waist. Lisa yelped as her back hit the other counter behind them. His mouth was on hers seconds later, kissing her gently but layering it with more emotion than she was used to.

"I think that just makes me abnormal," he said when he pulled away.

Lisa laughed, her breath a soft puff against his lips. "If that's what you believe." She kissed him again, her arms going around his waist. Jackson's fingers trailed lightly over the skin of her arms, sending goose bumps over her skin.

His fingers skimmed the edge of her shirt and she jumped slightly. Lisa cursed herself in her mind as soon as she did. Jackson pulled away again, taking a step back, his waist hitting the counter.

"I'm sorry," she said, taking a deep breath.

He shook his head. "No. It's okay. I should go. It was a long night and I have a feeling it's going to be a long morning."

Lisa merely nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Everything's normal."

There was a crackle on the other end of the line. "You sure?"

She sighed. "Of course. They've been upstairs since last night."

"Have you heard anything?" She could almost hear the lewd grin in his voice.

"Rustling. I think they're both up. Why can't we just use the damn cameras?"

"He'd notice them. We can't run the risk of blowing this. You know Gavin already almost screwed it up."

She sighed again. "Yeah I know. Can't believe he was that stupid."

"He was the smart one," he snorted.

Her eyes caught sight of someone exiting the building in the rearview mirror. "Ah. There's loverboy."

"He finally leaving?"

"Yes. He-wait."

She could almost picture him sitting up in his chair. "What?"

"I lost sight of him. Dammit. He was here a minute ago."

"Well where the hell is he?" he said, growing irritated.

"How the fuck should I know? Didn't I just tell you-" She paused as a shadow fell over her window. "Fuck."

"What?"

She hung up on him without replying.

The first thing she saw when she looked up were his ice blue eyes; that piercing blue gaze. She knew he was angry and yet not a single hint of the emotion was shown on his face. And it was this strange calm that was settling over him that made her afraid. Not in the thirty years that she had been in this line of work had she ever had this feeling. It was strange, disconcerting, and she didn't like it.

Now she knew why he was the best. If he could evoke such fear in a person with just one look then he deserved the title.

Jackson leaned in further. "Open," he stated.

She didn't. Instead her body acted on reflex and her fingers twitched, the key moving in the ignition. Jackson's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. She heard the break of the glass right as she shifted gears. Before he could hit again she slammed on the gas pedal and pulled out of the parking space.

Jackson jerked back from the car as she sped back. The last thing she saw was a fuming Jackson standing silently in the parking lot, thin trails of blood streaming from the cuts on his hand. It wasn't until later that she thought about a better way to handle the situation. She should have just played dumb, pretended she lived there, pretended she had no idea who the fuck he was.

* * *

Lisa heard the squeal of tires outside of her apartment. Uncurling from her spot on the sofa, she made her way to the window and glanced out through the blinds. She was startled to see Jackson standing still on the pavement and then noticed the car speeding away.

She pulled the phone from the base by the window and dialed a number quickly. It rang for a moment and then she watched as Jackson lifted the phone to his ear.

"Yes." The word was forced out, angry.

"Are you alright?"

Jackson paused. His head turned stiffly and his gaze met hers through the open blinds. He seemed startled which didn't come as much of a shock to her. "Um, yeah. They just pulled out in front of me as I stepped off the sidewalk. It startled me."

"You're not hurt are you?"

"No, I'm fine," Lisa saw him glance fleetingly at his hand and then give a small grin. "But if you don't believe me I could always come up and show you."

Lisa felt her cheeks flush. "Ah, no. You should go. I'm meeting Cynthia for dinner."

"As long as you're sure," she could hear the smile in his voice.

_I'm not. _"Positive."

"Then I'll see you later."

"Of course," she smiled even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Be careful."

"Always."

* * *

"Who the hell was it?" He asked, touching the antiseptic to the tiny cuts on his hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that bullshit," Jackson spat. "I know someone is watching me. Who the hell is watching me?"

Jackson heard them sigh. "Perhaps a paranoid delusion?"

"Is that what you're going to go with?"

He heard something slam shut. "I don't have to answer to you," they snapped. "You may be a manager, Rippner, but _I_ am your handler. So do your job and stop asking me such idiotic questions. Do you understand me?"

Jackson's jaw clenched. "Of course."

"Good. Now do your damn job. I don't want to have to speak to you about this again."

Jackson stood silently, seething, as the phone clicked off. This was not over. They were watching him and he wanted to know why.

* * *

"You were seen."

"He didn't know who I was." She said quickly.

"We can't afford mistakes like that," they replied. "Not this late in the game."

"It won't happen again," she replied.

"Is there a reason we should let you live? He knows you now. He will look for you."

She began to tremble; not something she would normally do. "He won't see me."

"Why should we believe you?"

She stared at the computer screen silently. There was nothing she could say that would convince them anyway. If they wanted her dead, she would be dead. There was nothing she would be able to do. "You need me," she said instead.

A wry smirk crossed their face. "And why is that?"

"No one else would be willing to go against them. You know that. Especially not him."

"We could find someone."

"They won't know what I know. Everything that has happened, I know," she said, her voice bordering on desperation. "You would have to start from scratch."

They stared at her, their expression contemplative. After a few horrifyingly long moments, they said, " Fine. One more chance. If you fuck this up, we will have your head."

She simply nodded as the screen went dark.

* * *

The papers were shuffled again. He did not like what he was reading. They were getting too personal. What were they after? Why were they watching him? "Why are they doing this?" he whispered.

"Sir?"

He ran a hand over his face. He was tired but God knew he would never show it. Not in his line of work. "Nothing Raymond. What about the Rippner case?"

Raymond stared down at his file. "He is doing as ordered and following the Reisert woman."

"But?"

Raymond cleared his throat. "His technique is . . . unusual. He is staying close to her; interacting with her. I believe he has actually gone on dates with her."

"Photos?"

"Of course."

At his outstretched hand, Raymond gave the pictures to him. "She was the one closest to Keefe?"

"Yes sir."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "I can see why he picked her," he muttered.

"Sir?" Raymond's eyebrows furrowed.

He gave a slight smile. "Nothing. Continue."

As Raymond continued to read from his notes, the man's eyes never left the photo. Never left the picture of the smile that was hovering over Jackson's face.

* * *

**AN: **I am so sorry that it took so long to update. My muse went on vacation for awhile there. Luckily, I just followed its example and took a vacation as well and was able to write this chapter. I hope everyone likes it. I hope to be able to speed up some stuff soon. It shouldn't be too much longer until I introduce the 'big bad' of the story. I know it seems like the story is running a little slow, but I am trying to figure out when I'm going start the bigger climb to the climax. I hope all of you stick around until then!


	13. For You EC

_So fly away and leave it behind  
__Return someday with red in your eyes  
__I see you 'cause you won't get out of my way  
__I hear you 'cause you won't quite screamin' my name  
__I feel you 'cause you won't stop touchin' my skin  
__I need you—coming to take you away!_

_~Away; Breaking Benjamin_

Always

**To Pads**: I know it is a little confusing at times. I try not to make it that way, but sometimes it happens and right now I am trying to unravel a lot of it so that it will make sense. To offer a little clarity, one group is watching another group and the one being watched is watching Jackson. I think that covers it. I hope.

There are really only two parties watching anyone. They will be revealed in good time, I promise.

And to **musicalexpert**: your review made me laugh so hard (in a good way, I promise) that I actually started writing this chapter. It also kicked my writing for this story back in. I would have to say that it kick started my muse again.

Thanks to you and to all of my loyal reviewers that have stuck with me for so long.

**  
Chapter Thirteen: For you-EC**

"Package came for you," Cynthia said, popping her head in Lisa's office. "No return address though."

Lisa accepted the envelope with thanks and ripped it open, not even taking her eyes off her computer screen. She looked down when a thin slip of paper fell from the envelope. She picked it up and read the words quickly.

_For you ~EC_

Nothing else. No more words to even hint at who EC was. No one that Lisa could think of.

"What is it?"

Lisa jumped at her friend's voice. She hadn't even realized Cynthia was still there.

What slipped out of the envelope next caught her by surprise. Ten photographs fell into her fingers, each one a candid shot of her and Jackson at the dance.

"Maybe it's from one of the prom committee students?" Cynthia suggested as she gazed over Lisa's shoulder. She patted Lisa on the shoulder. "You looked hot, by the way."

Lisa looked up at her, a small smile quirking her lips. "It must be," she replied. "I don't remember anyone taking pictures around us though."

"That's the best kind of picture taken," Cynthia replied, walking to the door. "The ones that no one is aware of."

Lisa nodded slowly is agreement. She put the photos back in the sleeve, placed them on the edge of her desk, began her work again and promptly forgot about them.

* * *

"Have you figured them out yet?"

Jackson sighed in frustration. "If you ask me that one more time I may have to hurt you."

"I've just never seen you take this long," the voice on the other side said. "You're a little off I take it? Never been on one case for so long."

Jackson didn't reply at first. "That's not it. And don't we have a security division for this? Why the hell are you bothering me, Alex?"

Alex chuckled. "Ouch. That hurt. I'm wounded. Besides, I thought we were friends," he laughed again. "Actually, I figured you could use a break on the case you were working now. You've been on it for months. Not including the eight weeks before. I thought maybe something new would help you out a little; get your mind back on track or whatever."

"My mind is always on track, Alex," Jackson said. He tapped a key on his keyboard. "It's done. I'm sending it to you now."

Alex was silent on the other side of the line. Jackson heard soft laughter as he received the file.

"Damn. You are good. I've been trying to crack that one for days. Little bastards are getting smarter."

Jackson didn't reply. Alex read into his silence. "You okay man?"

"Of course."

"You sure?"

Jackson almost laughed at the phrase. "Yes, I'm sure. It's just been a long week. Listen, I have to go. You have everything you need?"

"Yeah. No problem. Thanks again."

"No problem."

Jackson reached up to turn the speaker phone off when Alex called out again.

"Hey, Jackson?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful okay? I don't want to see you hurt."

Jackson paused. "I always am," he answered and then hung up. He pushed his chair away from the desk and stood up, reaching his arms above his head in a stretch. He walked to his bed and flopped down, not even bothering to get under the covers. His eyes flicked to the clock before they closed.

He still had a few hours before he had to meet Lisa. A thrill sped through his body at the thought of her name. He had only one thought as sleep took hold: why was it getting so much harder to think of her as just a job?

* * *

Lisa had already changed from her work clothes by the time Jackson got to her apartment. A pair of jeans, tighter than last time, graced her long legs with a black tank top, highlighting her pale skin. He was walking through Lisa's apartment when he paused at the bar of her kitchen, the manila envelope catching his attention. Something about the handwriting. . .

"Hey Lisa," he called, his fingertips resting on the envelope. "What's this?"

Lisa glanced over her shoulder to where Jackson was looking. "Oh they're just some pictures I was given. I think that they're from the prom committee that had their dance at the Lux. I got them this morning. You can look at them if you want."

Jackson's fingertips grazed the folder slightly, hesitating at the opening. "Are you sure?" he asked, his question having two meanings. Was she sure they were from the committee?

Lisa looked at him again. "I think so."

He pulled the photos from the envelope. The first ones could have easily been taken by a student; the photos were grainy, taken from a distance, mostly of them dancing on the floor. But as he flicked through them the photos grew closer to them. The last picture, one of them so close together, their lips almost touching, was entirely to close for Jackson's comfort.

His gaze roamed the photo, stopping on a small, red dot centered on Lisa's temple. To the untrained eye it would have been nothing but a glare from the flash. But to Jackson it was a death sentence. He glanced up at Lisa. Her back was still to him as she busied herself in the kitchen, putting groceries away and getting a pan out of a cabinet. He slipped the photo into the inside pocket of his jacket.

The tiny slip of yellow paper resting on the counter caught his eye next. _For you ~EC_. The handwriting was familiar. He _knew_ that writing. . .

"What did you want for dinner?"

Lisa's voice jarred him from his thoughts. He looked up to find her staring at him. She raised her eyebrows slightly as she waited for his answer. He shook the unnerving feelings away and walked around the bar to stand behind her, briefly touching her waist. Jackson saw the simple jerk of one of her arms, her muscles clenching. He almost pulled back, his mind remembering the fear she still had from her rape.

As if she sensed his hesitation, Lisa grabbed hold of his hands and drew them around her. Lisa stroked his hands lightly with one hand and moved a pot of water onto a burner with the other. Jackson reached out to grip her hand as well. He felt her tense up against his chest as his hand came in her line of sight. He tried to pull away, knowing Lisa had seen the bandage on his hand covering the wound he had received from punching the car window a week ago.

"What happened?"

"Cut myself," he replied quickly, clenching his hand tightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It was only a scratch."

"Are you-?" she stopped herself from saying her father's favorite question and smiled against Jackson's palm. She kissed the bandage, her lips lingering a little longer than needed. "A kiss for healing," she muttered, turning to gaze at him over her shoulder.

A smile lifted one side of his lips as her hair brushed against his cheek. A whiff of strawberries infiltrated his nose. Jackson buried his face in her soft hair, his nose and lips brushing the back of her neck. Lisa tilted her head to the side, opening up more of her neck for Jackson to enjoy.

He kissed her lightly on the nape of her neck. Then he stepped back. Lisa turned slightly, startled. Jackson was leaning on the opposite counter, his arms crossed. He smirked at her. His look was daring her to make the next move. She hesitated. Jackson saw the hesitation and he could almost read the thoughts going through her mind. He almost bet himself that she wouldn't do anything.

_I would've lost,_ he thought moments later.

Lisa stood in front of him, her hands resting on his crossed arms, her warm lips pressed against the pulse in his throat. He almost jumped; she had startled him. In all his times of watching her, knowing her, Jackson would have never guessed that she would have been so bold. His blue eyes widened as he looked down at her. She had a smirk on her lips, a look that said 'you didn't expect that' on her face.

Jackson smiled again and then dipped his head. Their lips met for a brief, tantalizing moment before he pulled away again. Lisa's hands tightening on his forearms halted his movements. She stood on her toes and brushed his lips.

Getting rid of his better judgment and instead going with his base instinct, he unfolded his arms and wrapped them around her waist.

Lisa was pressed so close against him, her arms on both sides of his waist, her palms resting against the countertop. Jackson lifted his hands, trailing his fingers over her sides. She chuckled slightly against his lips as his soft touch tickled her sides. Tentatively his thumbs brushed just the edge of her breasts.

She didn't jump, didn't flinch. And Jackson wasn't sure if he should be happy about that or not. Just a week ago she had flinched when he touched the edge of her shirt, obviously recalling events from the rape two years ago. And now she didn't move.

On one hand it would make his job easier. It meant she was beginning to trust him even more. She would do anything he asked of her.

But on the other hand it meant that he was getting too close to her for his comfort. Jackson had never been this close to someone before. In his line of work it was pointless. You never knew when it would be your last assignment. You never knew when something would go wrong. An assignment could get messed up. You could get captured, tortured. He knew a man once who had a wife and child. His family was killed in front of him; something about a job gone wrong. The last Jackson had heard the man was locked in an asylum, having conversations with people who were no longer alive.

He pushed her back slightly, his thumbs still rubbing her sensitive skin. Lisa's hands moved from the counter to his waist, her fingers fisting in his green shirt, pulling it out a little ways from the waistband of his pants. Jackson glanced up from the tops of his eyes. "Your water's burning," he whispered.

Lisa's eyes were still closed, but her eyebrows rose. "Hmm?"

"Your water's burning," he repeated.

"Oh?" she replied and then straightened. "_Oh_!" she exclaimed and turned around, removing the now mostly empty pan and turning off the burner. "Crap."

Jackson simply laughed. "Want to try that again?"

Lisa sighed, blowing a bit of hair out of her eyes. "Yeah, um, wow. Okay." She turned to him with a sheepish smile on her face. "How about some macaroni and cheese?"

Jackson's face screwed up. "Boxed?"

"Oh, god, no. I have my grandmother's recipe."

"Then macaroni it is."

* * *

The sudden news broadcast brought their attention to the TV. Lisa had just started to stand up to take the dirty dishes to the sink when a somber reporter, his brown hair blowing lightly in the wind, stared at the camera, his face kept purposefully calm. She sat back down as if her legs couldn't hold her anymore.

"Oh my God," Lisa whispered as she leaned forward, her arms resting on her knees, not even noticing as Jackson's hand slipped down her back. His fingers tightened slightly on her waist as the announcer started to talk.

"Only minutes ago Charles Keefe, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security was found dead in his home. There is no news as to cause of death but there are already plans for an autopsy to rule out . . ."

The reporter's voice filtered out as Jackson's gaze focused on the police officers behind the man. One officer in particular. The officer looked up from beneath his cap and stared into the camera. A wicked grin lit the man's lips.

Jackson knew that man.

_Shit._

* * *

**AN: **Yay! An update! Wow it has taken a long time for this chapter to get up. Massive writer's block and I do so apologize for it. I had fun writing this one. I was trying to figure out a way to end it and this was the best way. And so the plot thickens!

See you next time!


	14. Problems and Solutions

I breathe you in again  
Just to feel you underneath my skin  
Holding onto the sweet escape  
Is always laced with a familiar taste of poison  
~Familiar Taste of Poison; Halestorm

Always

**Chapter Fourteen: Problems and Solutions**

"They're wondering why he was killed. The contract was called off."

"Did you tell them we didn't do it?" he snapped. "How the hell are we supposed to be responsible for something someone else does?!"

Raymond flinched. "I don't know sir. But they are not happy about it."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Has there been any word on any other contract taken out against him?"

"No, sir."

"Then what the hell happened?" he replied, his hands fisting on the desk.

Raymond hesitated. Never a good sign. "We don't know, sir. The police and the press are trying to keep a low profile on this. They have released a statement saying that he died of natural causes."

"And what do _we_ know?"

"Our sources say that it was poison. There are still tests being done as to which type. Hopefully they will have something conclusive by the end of the day."

"Hopefully, Raymond?" he asked. "That's not good enough."

Raymond tensed. It was never good to disappoint the boss. Especially not Richards. He waited silently; waited for his boss to say anything else.

Finally, Richards sighed. "But it will have to be for now." He pulled his hand over his face. "Stall the clients for now. When we find out, for sure, what happened, we will investigate and let them know."

"Yes, sir," Raymond hesitated again.

With an exasperated sigh, Richards looked up. "What is it, Raymond?"

"There's just one other small thing, sir," he answered and stepped forward. He pulled one sheet from his folder and placed it on Richards' desk, right on top of the papers he had begun to read.

After one look at the sheet his eyes shot up to Raymond's. "Where did you get this?"

"From the news feed, sir."

Richards said nothing in return. His hand was already reaching for the phone on his desk, his other hand tightening around the paper.

* * *

Jackson stared at the paused video contemplating the stilled image. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. There was no way that man could be alive. He had been dead for five years; just after Jackson had become a manager. It had to be a mistake. A trick of the camera. Something.

"Bad news, man," the voice crackled in his ear. "Facial recognition's coming up empty. If it was Cade it would have come up."

"You've compared it to the picture in his file?"

Alex snorted. "You know as well as I do that they sealed that file after he died. You'd have to have about ten levels of security clearance to even glance at the name."

Jackson rubbed his hand over his face. He hadn't slept in almost two days. He had been working endlessly to find out if what he had seen had been true. The image was almost burned into his mind. When he blinked he saw the still frame, he saw the smirk on the man's lips.

"How can you say that you're the best if you can't break through that?"

Alex gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Do you have any idea how many firewalls and passwords I would have to crack?"

"Yes."

Alex was silent. "Are you serious?"

"Aren't I always?"

"Jackson. Buddy. Man. Do you know how much trouble I could be in if I get caught?"

Jackson rubbed his hand over his face, exasperated. "We won't get caught."

"Come on, Jackson. The last person that cracked this system was-"

"Me," Jackson interrupted. "I know what I'm asking."

"No, I don't think you do. You hacked in to the system ten years ago. They caught you then."

"And?"

"_And_ they've added better security sense then. You were the last person that broke in. You know that they followed the trail you used to get in, sealed it, and buried it under every security measure know to man and machine. Dude, the best hackers in the world couldn't get in there if they wanted to."

Jackson leaned forward, leaning his elbows on the desk and propping his chin on his hands. His eyes still didn't move from the picture.

"If it's him, he could pose a threat. If it's him, he killed Keefe to prove he's better than me. He could screw up the entire assignment. I have to find out if it's him before he can fuck everything up."

Alex was silent again. "Is that all it is, Jackson?"

Jackson's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Is that all you're worried about? The assignment? This is the longest you've ever been out. I'm getting worried about you."

"Why?"

"They've been watching you. You've picked an unusual way to work out the assignment. The Reisert woman was a means to an end. I know they told you to stick close to her in case you had to use her again, but dating her? What are you thinking?"

"I know what I'm doing, Alex," Jackson bit out. He couldn't deny the fact that he had flinched at her name. "I'm gaining her trust. It'll be easier to use her if she trusts me. You know it's harder to get someone to do what you want just by threatening them. They can fight you."

"She could still fight you if you have to use her."

Jackson sighed. "Trust me, Alex, it's easier this way."

Keyboard clacking sounded on the other end. "Is it, Jackson? Or do you just want it to be?"

Jackson hesitated, stunned. "What are you talking about?"

Alex sighed, the breath resounding in the speaker. "Come on, man. I've never seen you this interested in a case. What's got you so into this?" He paused. "Don't tell me you've got a thing for the girl. What is it, a reverse Stockholm Syndrome or something?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Alex."

Alex chuckled. "I know you more than anyone else in the company, Jackson. I know when you're off your game, and right now, I hate to say it, you are."

Jackson didn't respond at first. His brain was denying everything that Alex was saying. Alex wasn't right. He was in it just to complete the assignment. Now he was just trying to figure out if it was really Cade on the video. He was just trying to figure it out before the man could pose an actual problem for him.

But why was it that every time he thought of the assignment he only thought of the feel of her skin against his? Why was it that he could only think of the way she smelled? Why was it that every time he went to sleep his mind went to the way her lips felt against his; the way she looked laying on the bed, her eyes giving him the come hither look.

Jackson shook his head. Did he seriously just think 'come hither'?

"Are you in or not, Alex?" he finally answered.

Alex chuckled again. "Sure. Why the hell not. But I'm takin' you down with me if I get caught."

A smile quirked Jackson's lips. "You do that. I'll get in contact with you soon."

The click sounded in his ear as Alex disconnected. Jackson pulled the bud from his ear and stood up slowly. His knees protested the move. He really had been sitting in front of the computer for too long. His eyes flickered one last time to the computer screen before switching it off.

He rubbed his eyes once again. He wasn't thinking straight. He really needed sleep. But first, he needed a shower.

* * *

"_You are not better than me," he seethed. "You are a puppy. You would be nothing without my help."_

"_You're getting too worked up. It doesn't mean anything."_

_Jackson was shoved back by a flat palm on his chest. "Don't you dare be demeaning to me Rippner! You are a mere pup," he sneered again. "You are nothing!"_

_Jackson took a step back, his hands upraised in a placating gesture. "It was a mistake, Cade. I don't know-"_

_Cade ducked his head, covering his face with his hands. They were bent like claws around his face. "I knew this is what it was from the beginning!" He exploded. "You, the god damn golden boy. Richards was just waiting for a reason to replace me. And it's all because of you!"_

_Cade lunged forward, his arms outstretched. His hands collided with Jackson's chest. Jackson stumbled back, almost losing his footing. He caught himself at the last moment, bracing himself against his back leg._

"_You shouldn't have ever come here. You've done nothing but get in my way."_

"_Back off, Cade. Just let this go."_

"_Do not tell me what to do!" Cade grabbed Jackson's lapels, pulling him around and slamming him into the wall behind him._

"_Let him go Cade," a voice said behind them._

_Cade turned his head slightly. A sardonic grin lit his lips. "So you're on his side, then? Wasn't too long ago you'd stop anyone from attacking me."_

"_Just let him go, sir."_

_Cade turned his attention back to Jackson. His lips were pulled back in a snarl, his eyes wide, crazy. He wasn't focusing, Jackson could see that. Cade was allowing his rage to blind him._

_Jackson used his rage against him. He used the anger as a distraction. Jackson's hands shot up between Cade's, disentangling his fingers from Jackson's coat. He shoved Cade away with a flat palm to his chest and grabbed one of his arms before he stumbled away. Before Cade could react, Jackson had him on his knees, one arm twisted behind his back._

"_You should have just walked away, Cade," Jackson said, right before the security guards pulled him up. "I didn't want this."_

"_Quit your bullshit, Rippner," Cade snarled._

_Jackson watched the security surround Cade as they began to lead him away. He had just made the worst enemy in his career. Cade would do everything in his power to destroy him. He finally looked away when they were far enough down the hall, looking down at his watch._

_A shout sounded in front of him, followed by two deafening shots that echoed in the sterile hallway. Six shots followed as the shouting continued. Jackson saw none of it. It took him a moment to realize he was on his back, a pounding pain coursing through his chest._

* * *

Jackson shot up in his bed; a thin sheen of sweat covered his body. _What the fuck_. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. Darkness surrounded him; the little light there was in the room filtered through from the streetlight outside his bedroom window.

He glanced at the clock next to his bed. It was flashing a green four a.m. at him. "Shit." He'd been asleep for close to eighteen hours.

Jackson stood up and made his way to the kitchen, pressing the brew button on the coffee machine as he passed by. The soft gurgle sounded almost immediately. He reached in the cupboards, pulled a mug from the inside and set it down.

A beep sounded from his bedroom. His phone.

He played with the idea of leaving it alone. He almost thought about not answering it. It was so early. No one would expect him to answer now. The beep sounded again. Jackson sighed and closed his eyes. It would continue until he checked it out. Sighing again, he padded to his room. The darkness enveloped him again. He didn't switch on the light. He didn't need to; he could see perfectly well without it.

Again the beep, followed by the flash of light from the screen. Jackson scrolled through the missed calls. Lisa, Alex, Alex, Alex. Shit. Work.

He listened to the messages next. Lisa asking if he wanted to meet for dinner the next night and to please call her when he got the message. She still sounded upset over the death of Keefe even though Jackson could tell she was trying to hide it. He made a note to call her later. There would be no point in calling her now even though she would probably be awake. Scrambled eggs and all that.

Alex was just calling to check in. He really was worried about him, he kept repeating. If he didn't hear back from him within the next couple hours he was going to come and find him. And if Jackson wasn't any short of dead, Alex would kill him himself for making him worry.

His boss was last. Twice, actually. The first to check in; making sure he wasn't fucking up his job. The second telling him to call in. They had to have a meeting to discuss the fiasco of the Keefe killing and whether or not he would still be required to watch the Reisert woman.

Jackson's heart jumped at the last part. They wouldn't seriously pull him? He shook his head at the train of thought. He needed to stay in the field to make sure if it was Cade or not. That was the only reason he could even possibly be worried bout being taken off the case.

Not caring what time it was, Jackson dialed the number and listened as the phone rang in his ear.

* * *

**AN: **God, I am so sorry it took so long to update. I had half of the chapter written when I got distracted by I Will Not Bow. Then, I got distracted by trying to update my pirates story (I'd been working on that chapter _forever_). Once those two were posted I then got distracted (I do that a lot apparently) by the wonderfully fantabulous miniseries Alice. I can't stop watching it; I'm slightly obsessed with it. Which then led to being obsessed with watching Primeval as well.

Finally, I put all of those on hold and finished this chapter. I thought I would just go with Jackson in this chapter. Lisa will be in it in the next and then, I believe, it will really pick up from there. I say 'I believe' because I really just play it by ear when I write. I find that if I try to outline what I write, I can't write it anymore, so I tend to stay away from outlining.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know what you think!


	15. Cade

I can feel this light that's inside of me  
Growing fast into a bolt of lightning  
I know one spark will shock the world, yeah, yeah  
So I pray for favor like Esther  
I need your strength to handle the pressure  
I know there will be sacrifice  
But that's the price  
~Who Am I Living For?; Katy Perry

Always

**Chapter 15: Cade**

Her head rested on his shoulder, her eyes closed, her soft auburn curls brushed his cheek. The TV droned on in the background, but Jackson wasn't paying attention. His thoughts were miles away.

It had been two days since he'd last spoken to his handler. They weren't happy with his methods. They thought he was getting too close; that his emotions were clouding his ability to do his job. But they were wrong. He was still the best damn person for the job.

Alex was still breaking through the walls of the company. He was treading carefully. Hacking through the firewalls wasn't easy, and he knew that. Jackson knew that Alex was risking his life doing this for him. He had been right: the company increased their security after Jackson had broken in all those years ago.

A soft kiss on the edge of his jaw distracted him from his thoughts. The corner of his mouth lifted. "I thought you were asleep."

"I woke up," Lisa said, speaking around a yawn. She straightened next to him, stretching her arms above her head, her shirt riding up slightly against her side.

Jackson watched her from the corner of his eyes. It was all he could do not to pull her back against him. His body missed her warmth already. His fingers itched to trail across the sliver of skin her shirt revealed. He shifted his gaze away, turned his attention to the window across the room.

Jackson felt the couch move as Lisa shifted, her thin fingers going around his jaw to turn him back to her. He jerked his head back slightly upon finding her face so close to his. Soft green eyes stared into his. A smirk crossed her lips as she looked at him.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I was just thinking how beautiful you look."

Lisa paused, her eyebrows furrowed. A chuckle built in her throat after a moment. "That's so cheesy."

Jackson couldn't fight the grin that forced itself over his lips. "It really was. But I bet you it worked." He lifted a hand to trace the lines of her cheek.

"Maybe a little." Lisa leaned into the caress. "So what were you really thinking?"

Jackson stared at her. She really was much more perceptive than people gave her credit for. In answer to her question, he leaned in, placing a soft chaste kiss to her lips. He pulled back seconds later waiting for her response.

And again she surprised him. Her hands snaked around the back of his head, her fingers lacing through his hair. Her lips were on his before he could breathe, her mouth catching the breath he let escape. Jackson's arms laced around her waist and pulled her to him. A small gasp left Lisa's lips as their bodies collided.

Her warmth flooded through to him, the softness of her touch brushed against his neck as she moved her hands down. Jackson felt her breath hitch as the tip of his fingers dipped into the top of her jeans and then moved around her waist. He played with the waistband of her jeans, his thumb touching the button briefly. _God._

Lisa fisted his shirt and pulled back, leaning her body away from his slightly. In order to stay with her, in order to not lose the feeling of her against him, he followed.

Lisa's phone rang first. Neither one paid it any mind. Jackson laughed as the phone continued to chirp.

"It'll stop," Lisa said against his lips.

The ringing stopped seconds later. A shrill beep sounded soon after, signaling the presence of a voice mail.

"Told you," she muttered.

Jackson answered by biting at her lower lip. His hands trailed over the skin that had been revealed when her shirt had ridden up. Lisa tugged on his shirt, pulling the tails from his pants. His own breath hitched at the feeling of her nails scraping across his skin. Jackson kissed his way across her chin, trailing from the tip slowly up her jaw. He placed a kiss at the skin below her ear. His fingers sought purchase on her waist.

Lisa lifted her hips in response, allowing his hand to slip to the base of her spine. His other hand slid up the front of her shirt. She gasped as his fingers skimmed across her ribs. Lisa groaned when her phone began to ring again. Her hands tightened in the folds of his shirt. Jackson chuckled against the skin of her neck.

"Answer it," he muttered.

"I don't-"

He laughed again. "Go ahead."

Lisa fumbled above her head and grabbed for the phone. "Yes, hello?"

"Leese?"

"Dad. Hey." Her voice came out choked as Jackson continued to kiss her neck and run his hands over her skin.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine. You just, um, you just woke me up."

Joe paused. "I'm sorry, hon. We hadn't spoken in awhile so I hoped that you'd like to do an early dinner. I can pick you up."

"I don't-"

A sudden second ringing stilled Jackson. He sighed and sat up. Lisa frowned at him and sat up herself. She tugged her shirt down, already missing the feel of his hands on her skin.

"Rippner." He said quietly.

"Leese?"

She didn't respond to her father right away. "Sure, Dad. Just give me a little while."

"Fifteen minutes?"

"Sure. That sounds fine. I'll see you then."

Jackson sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, no. I'll be there."

Both hung up and sat on the couch staring at the still muttering TV.

"Listen-"

"I've got-"

They both paused. Jackson smiled. "Go ahead."

"I'm sorry. My dad wants to meet for dinner," she ran a hand through her tousled hair. "I'm so sorry." She stood up, straightening her clothes.

"It's fine. I actually have somewhere to be. Work meeting."

"I guess you should get going then," she replied, stretching her arms over her head. "Don't want you to be-"

Her words were cut off as an arm wrapped itself around her waist. She turned slightly as was pulled down and pressed against Jackson's chest. His lips were on hers the moment she hit the couch. Jackson's arms were tight around her waist, his fingers once again tracing lines on her skin. It only seemed like seconds later when his phone chirped again.

Lisa's arms moved from around his neck, the palms of her hands resting against the softness of the back of her couch. She pushed up, putting space between them. "You're going to be late."

"He won't go anywhere." He answered, placing a small kiss on her jaw.

It almost killed her to say her next line. "My dad will be here soon."

Jackson stopped. He let go of her, almost reluctantly, allowing her to climb off of him. Lisa stepped back, tucking her hands in her back pockets. He stood up with a smirk, tucking the front of his shirt back into the top of his pants, and walked towards the door. Lisa followed and held the door for him as he left. He turned quickly just outside of her door and placed a brief kiss to her lips.

Lisa leaned into it. And then he was gone. Jackson gave her one last look over his shoulder and then continued down the hallway. She shut her door and locked it. Time to get ready for her father.

* * *

Jackson took one last look at Lisa as he left. She was watching him leave. He found himself grinning like a schoolboy without realizing it. He wiped the grin from his lips. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. And he didn't need his. . .emotions to get in his way. He had to go meet Alex.

That thought in and of itself caused him to go back to his senses. Alex never wanted to meet in person. He was more of an over the phone, video chat sort of guy. Very rarely did he ever leave his office.

The elevator doors opened before he reached them. His heart thumped in his chest as Joe Reisert stared out at him. Jackson gave a smile and stepped aside, allowing Joe to step out.

"Evening," Joe said.

"Evening."

The minute he pushed the down button he looked up. Joe was standing at Lisa's door, looking back at him, his eyes narrowed. Jackson gave him another smile and winked as the doors closed.

* * *

Joe knocked on Lisa's door, not being able to pull his gaze from the man in the elevator. A shiver rolled across his back as the man winked at him. There was something that just didn't seem right about him. He'd never seen him before. Maybe he was new?

But still something didn't sit right.

He was still looking at the closed elevator doors when Lisa opened her door, still pulling a brush through her curls. A smile broke over her face when she saw him. " Hey, dad!"

Joe pulled his eyes from the elevator. "Hello sweetie."

"Come on in. I'll be ready in just a second. Let me grab my things and then we can go." She paused as she took in the look on his face. "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Who was the guy that just walked by?"

Lisa perked up. "What guy?"

"Tall guy, brown hair, blue eyes."

Lisa's eyes furrowed, a confused look crossing her face. Finally she shrugged. "Don't know. He must know someone in the building."

"I guess so," he answered distractedly.

Lisa picked up her purse and keys. "Ready?"

* * *

The food court was crowded, as Jackson knew it would be. Alex would have never asked to meet him in a secluded area. Even though they would be outside, there would be too many people to pick them out of a crowd. And it was the easiest way to do this. They would be an ordinary set of people out shopping on an ordinary afternoon.

Jackson squinted behind his sunglasses, gazing into the throng of people walking around him. His fingers tapped a rhythm on the plastic tabletop that only they knew. He continued to stare off into the distance, pretended to watch an attractive woman walk by, as a bag was placed on the table in front of him.

Alex slouched into the seat across from him. His short black hair stuck out at odd angles as if he had been running his fingers continuously through it. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes but Jackson knew Alex was searching around same as he was.

"So why are we meeting in person, Alex?

Alex scratched at his scalp, ruffling his dark locks. "This isn't really something to talk about over the phone. Who knows whose listening in, y'know?"

Jackson's eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"

Alex rifled through his bag, searching for who knew what. Finally he pulled a folder from the sack and placed it on the table, sliding it towards Jackson. "For all intents and purposes Cade is dead. The Company wiped him from the system save for one file." He tapped the folder. "They had no record of him in the computers. I found one obscure reference about him in a corner file. Turned out they only had the hard copy and even then only the higher ups knew about it."

Jackson stared down at it, his eyebrows furrowed. "The hard copy?" he repeated.

Alex let out a breathy sound that Jackson took for a chuckle. "I know, right? Threw me too. I haven't seen a hard copy of a file since I started there. Too much liability. But I guess they didn't want anyone to read what was in it. I guess they felt the system could be hacked too easily," he said, giving Jackson a sardonic look.

"So you took the file?"

"God no. What am I, suicidal? I made a copy of it. Becki in records has a thing for me. She let me into the file office for five minutes to get this." At Jackson's look he continued, "I didn't tell her I was looking for this in particular. I was a little vague in what I told her. I'm not new at this."

"What'd you find out?"

"Read it. You tell me."

Jackson opened the file and was immediately greeted by a picture of Ezekial Cade. Even in the photo the man looked insane. He guessed a picture was worth a thousand words.

The beginning of the file was textbook: date of birth, height, weight, family, specialties. But oddly no date of death. After the shootout in the hallway Jackson had been told Cade was killed. He wasn't one to argue or care. The man had shot him, nearly killed him. He had no sympathy if Cade died. It had made his rise in the Company that much easier.

But it was when he got to the back of the file that the hair on the back of his neck started to stand up. Cade _had_ been shot. But he hadn't died. Not right away.

And that's when the file stopped. Words were blacked out as if there was something the Company was trying to hide. Something they didn't want anyone else to know.

"Why'd they black this out?" he asked himself.

"_That_ I couldn't find out. Since there were no computer files there was no record of this. Maybe they would have heavily edited that one too. Best I can tell is that they're trying to hide whatever happened to him. Who knows why. But who the hell knows why the bosses do anything, y'know?"

Jackson's phone ringing stopped him from replying. He brought his phone to his ear, still staring down at the file.

"Rippner."

"I was starting to worry that you didn't get my message."

Jackson's back went rigid. He knew that voice.

"No response? I thought for sure that you'd have some snide reply."

Jackson clenched his jaw. His eyes flicked around him, searching for the person on the other side of the phone. Too many people talking on their phones stood and sat near them. He wouldn't be able to pick him out of a crowd. Alex stared over at him, a worried look on his face.

"Who?" he mouthed. Jackson shook his head.

"You-"

"If you finish that sentence with 'are supposed to be dead' I will shoot you where you sit." He interrupted.

Jackson chuckled, trying to regain his composure. "Wouldn't dream of it. You're too fucking stubborn to die and I should have known that years ago."

"I'm glad we can agree on that."

"What do you want Cade?" Alex's eyes widened. He pulled his phone out slowly, his fingers flying over the screen under the table.

"You," Cade replied. "Dead. Or being slowly tortured. Either will work for me."

Jackson laughed. "You're not still on that, are you? You tried that already and guess what? You failed, Cade." He leaned forward, tapping the table each time he spoke as if to prove a point.

Cade was silent. Jackson strained to listen to the silence on the other end. He tried to hear something that would give a clue as to where Cade was.

Finally Cade spoke, "Maybe we should see what little Miss Reisert would say about that. She is a lovely woman. Very classically beautiful, wouldn't you say?"

Jackson's back straightened again. "Fuck off Cade."

Cade made a _tsk_ing noise. "Now, now, Mr. Rippner. Be careful what you say to me. Piss me off and it'll be lights out for Lisa." He gave a malicious chuckle. "Or maybe I should have some fun with her first. She does seem like the ty-"

Jackson slammed the phone shut and bolted from the chair, leaving Alex behind him.

"Jackson!"

* * *

It was sad how little she was aware of her surroundings. Cade smiled as he hung up the phone. She was having such a good time with her father; such a good time being completely oblivious to her surroundings. He was sitting just two tables away from her and she didn't even realize she was in danger. He glanced at her over the rim of his laptop.

Lisa Reisert would never know what hit her should he actually decide to take her out.

His smile widened. No. He wouldn't harm her yet. Play with her, yes. He was having entirely too much fun goading Rippner to actually do anything to her yet. If he could get him to react. . .if he could get him to trip up.

He was going to have so much fun when the time actually came to deal with Rippner. The bastard would get what was coming to him. He would die like he was meant to years ago.

It was almost time. A little while longer and his plans would all be in place. Just a little while longer and his revenge would be complete.

* * *

Lisa straightened in her seat as a shiver rolled down her spine. She turned slightly, glancing around the restaurant as an uneasy feeling crossed over her. Couples and families sat around her, sharing a meal. A single man sitting behind her halted her gaze. His attention was held perfectly on the open laptop on the table in front of him.

But there was something off about him. There was a darkness in his eyes that Lisa didn't like. Another shiver rolled across her back as his eyes glanced up. Her eyes caught his. He smiled at her, a friendly greeting that came off as anything but. Lisa smiled in response, a reflex from working with people for so many years.

Her father's voice filtered through her thoughts, pulling her attention back to their conversation. She didn't need to worry about the other man. She didn't know him. He was just another face in the crowd.

* * *

AN: I suck. I know. As most of you know, I've had a massive bout of writer's block for this story. I can't even blame real life for this. I would just open the file and then the muse would die. I think I just went through too many versions of the chapter. I didn't like how the majority of them started or came out. I just couldn't get into the chapter. I finally just had to sit myself down and force myself to write. I'm not entirely sure I like how this turned out, but I hope you will. Honestly? You can thank the entire soundtrack for Tron: Legacy for getting this written. It's what inspired me and got me back to thinking about what was going to happen.

I thank everyone who has stuck with me. I just hope that this didn't disappoint. I did (finally) introduce the main bad guy. It should pick up from here. I hope you enjoyed!


	16. Game On

**AN: **I just want to say a big thank you to all of my readers and reviewers. We're at over 200 reviews now and almost 35,000 hits! You guys make me feel so special that each of you like Always this much. You guys are simply awesome!

You and I were made for this  
I was made to taste your kiss  
We were made to never fall away  
Never fall away

~Letters from the Sky; Civil Twilight

Always

**Chapter Sixteen: Game On**

Lisa had just set her purse on the counter when the pounding on her door started. She smiled and shook her head. Her dad was always forgetting something. She opened her door. "What did you for-"

She stopped when a body slammed into her, pushing her back, arms going around her shoulders and feet kicking her door closed. A face buried into the crook between her shoulder and neck. A sigh brushed against her throat. Lisa thought she heard him mutter 'thank God',

"Jackson?" she patted him on the back awkwardly. She wasn't quite sure what was going on. "Jackson what's wrong?"

Jackson pulled away slightly, moved his hands to cup her cheeks and rested his forehead against hers. "Everything's fine. How was lunch?"

Lisa smiled despite her uncertainty. "It was fine. Great. Great times."

"You're not telling me something."

"And you're one to talk?"

Jackson kissed the tip of her nose before he pulled away. "How so?"

Lisa watched him walk to the couch in the small living room. She bit her lip. "Nevermind."

Jackson turned his head to look at her. "What aren't you telling me?"

She turned into her kitchen, opening the fridge and stared into it. "Noth-" Lisa sighed. "There was just a man at the restaurant that didn't seem right. One of those people that just doesn't give a good vibe, you know?"

She heard Jackson chuckle from the living room and glared back at him. "And _that's _why I didn't want to say anything," she said as she shut the door without pulling anything out.

He laughed again. "No. I'm sorry." He fought to keep a straight face. "Why did he give you a bad vibe?"

Lisa plopped onto the couch next to him, crossing her legs and facing him. "He just-" she paused, crossing her arms and leaning against the arm of the couch. "He just didn't feel right. There was something about his eyes. He smiled at me but all I could think of was a predator stalking its prey." A shiver rolled down her back at the memory. "You know how there are just some people that look inherently evil? People that you can tell from the start that they're not good?"

A look crossed Jackson's face that Lisa couldn't place. He was guarded; wasn't saying something that he was thinking. Jackson shook his head. "What did he look like?"

Lisa shrugged. "Blonde hair. Green eyes. Kind of rugged. Pointed chin. He was dressed nicely." She saw his jaw clench. "Jackson, what is it?"

He shook his head again. Lisa leaned over and reached for his hand without thinking. He looked troubled, far away. All she could think of was to comfort him. _Once again there's something you're not telling me._

* * *

Jackson jerked slightly at her touch. He hadn't been expecting it. He looked over at her, into her worried green eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked again.

_If you only knew._

Jackson dipped his head instead of answering. His lips brushed hers and then pulled away. He looked down at her, a small smirk crossing his lips.

"You're not-"

He dipped again, the kiss lingering. He kept his eyes on her. She didn't blink. She tucked a finger into a belt loop. Lisa tugged at it.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

_I can't. _Jackson snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. He brushed a kiss against the corner of her eye and trailed his lips down her cheek.

"Mmm. . .you can't just-you're not going to dis-"

Jackson stopped her with a kiss. He felt her tense against him, knew she was going to try to push him away to finish the conversation, but he held her tight, his fingers running along her spine. She arced into his touch. He knew she had given up the fight when she responded to his kiss. Her body relaxed, melting against his. Jackson moved his hands over her shoulders to cup her face. Lisa's hands wrapped around his waist, turning him more toward her. His fingers slid down. He could feel the goose bumps rise on her skin as he played with the tender skin of her throat.

Jackson felt her breath hitch when his fingers brushed the inside of her button down blouse. Her grip on his waist tightened slightly as he hit a small raised portion of her skin on her collarbone_._ _Or maybe I should have some fun with her first._

Jackson pushed her away, the feel of her skin still burning his palms. Lisa looked at him with a confused and lustful stare.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his heart still pounding from the unwanted thoughts.

Lisa swallowed. "Jackson-"

A phone ringing in the kitchen stopped her. She glared in the direction of the ringing. "Damn it!"

Jackson had to smile at that. "Answer it."

"I'm sorry. This always seems to happen." Lisa stood with a deep sigh and made her way over to the counter.

Jackson fell back against the cushions. He pulled one hand through his hair. This was never how this was supposed to go. He was never meant to get this involved. He told himself that every day and it never seemed to do any good.

"Lisa Reisert," he heard her say and then waited for whoever was on the other line to respond. "No, no, it's fine. What do you need? Yeah. No, I have the files here. Yes. Hang on a second."

Lisa hurried past Jackson, mouthing an apology. He smiled in response. He stood up when he heard her rustling in her room. His mind wandered as he paced. Jackson had no idea what was going to happen and it frightened him.

Jackson stilled in his pacing. Frightened? That wasn't something he felt. Frustration? Sure. Anger? Absolutely. Happiness? Sometimes. But fright? Not something that he ever allowed himself to feel. There was no room in his life for that. There was no room in his life for failure and that is what fear would do.

Jackson quashed the fear he felt and replaced it with calm, closing his eyes and breathing deep. Everything would work out. Everything would be fine.

* * *

"Sir? We have an urgent message from the ME's office."

Agent Norman Machado looked up at the man who opened his office door. He lifted his hand, wordlessly asking for the file. The man hurriedly gave it to him.

"They also faxed over a copy of the police report."

Machado flipped through the folder. His eyes flicked over the pages. "Get Miami PD on the phone. Tell them to pick him up and not to question him until we get there."

"What name do we give them?"

Machado closed the folder and leaned back in his chair. "Jackson Rippner."

* * *

Jackson stared out at the parking lot. He was looking at nothing, his mind to much of a whirlwind to focus on any one spot. Why had Cade contacted him? What was his game? He couldn't figure out what was going on.

He'd had his suspicions, sure. The note to Lisa signed 'EC', the newscast reporting Keefe's death that showed the man who was an exact match for Cade. But then the call earlier. He seemed to be toying with him.

How had he known about Lisa? For a man that had been dead for years he sure seemed to know a lot about the case Jackson was working.

And Jackson hadn't helped matters by hanging up the phone and running from the food court at just the hint of Cade hurting Lisa. He knew Cade had been watching him. All he had done was prove that she wasn't just a job.

There was no way Jackson could fool Cade into believing he was only worried about him screwing everything up. Not now. He'd played right into Cade's hands. _Damn it_. How did everything get this fucked up?

A green car pulled into the lot. Jackson watched as it parked a few spots down from his and the driver stepped out, looking up to search the windows. Jackson's eyes narrowed. What was Alex doing here?

He turned from the window and headed toward the door. "I need to go down to my car," Jackson called. "I'll be right back." Jackson opened the door just as a man lifted his arm to knock. "Oh." _Shit._

A stunned look crossed the other man's face. "Hello."

Instinct kicked in seconds later. A smile crossed his face. "Hello," he reached his arm out. "You must be Joe. Lisa's talked about you."

"Can't say as she's ever mentioned you," Joe replied, hesitantly shaking Jackson's hand.

Jackson's smile didn't falter. He knew Joe was trying to read him. He was a strange man in his daughter's apartment. He was sure Joe couldn't fathom the idea of his dear daughter, who he was so close with, wouldn't tell him about Jackson.

He fought to keep his professional smile in place as Joe tightened his grip ever so slightly. It was a power play. Jackson had been in enough of them to know when another man, or hell, even a woman, tried to show they were bigger than him. Jackson tucked his hand in his pocket, completely at ease.

"And you are?" Joe finally asked.

"Jackson? Who are you-hi Dad. What are you doing here?"

"You forgot your leftovers in the car," Joe answered, not taking his eyes off of Jackson or releasing his hand. "Thought I'd come back and drop them off."

The smell of Lisa's perfume preceded her arrival. Jackson's eyes closed for a moment as he inhaled her scent. Joe's grip tightened.

"You didn't need to drive all the way back here."

Lisa looked between both of them and a slightly annoyed look crossed her face. She calmly placed a hand on her father's wrist. "Jackson, this is my Dad. Dad, this is Jackson. He's my-ah. We've been seeing each other for a while now."

"Really? You never mentioned anything."

Lisa inhaled through her teeth. "I didn't know I needed to, Dad."

Joe finally looked at Lisa, his eyebrows furrowing. "I guess you didn't," he finally replied and dropped Jackson's hand.

"Why don't I give you two a minute? I still need to get my phone from the car."

Lisa gave a small smile. "Okay. See you in a bit."

"Sure." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. He suppressed a grin at Joe's narrowed eyes and stepped past him.

* * *

"He doesn't feel right Leese."

Lisa crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you talking about?"

Joe jerked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction Jackson had gone. "Him. He doesn't feel right. It's something I can't put my finger on but I just don't trust him."

Lisa sighed. "I've known him for awhile, dad. I'm pretty sure I'd know if he was trustworthy or not by now."

"You weren't always the best judge of character, Leese."

Lisa grabbed the food container for him and walked away. "One time, dad. One time. I was blinded by first love or whatever," she said as she tucked the food into her fridge. She turned toward him again and leaned against the counter. "And I was sixteen. That doesn't count."

Joe just stared at her, his expression concerned.

"Besides. I really like him. Can't you just trust me and be happy?"

Joe pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something, to try to make her see his way, but then he smiled. "Okay. I will. Maybe it'll just take a little getting to know him."

A smile spread across Lisa's face. "Thank you. I know you'll like him just as much as I do. He's a great guy, Dad, and I trust him completely."

* * *

"What are you doing here Alex?"

Alex jerked his head up when he heard Jackson's voice. He pushed off his car and straightened the front of his button down shirt. He dug into one of the many pockets of his cargo shorts and tossed the item to Jackson. "You forgot your phone in your hurry to get here. And before you ask, I tracked your car."

Jackson's eyebrows rose. "You tracked my car?"

"Don't act surprised. It's my job to always know where you guys are. Besides, it gave me time to try and track the phone call from Cade."

"Did you get anything?"

Alex shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Bastard called from a burn phone."

Jackson bit his lower lip. His eyes were unfocused as if he wasn't actually seeing Alex. "Follow me."

"What's up?" Alex asked, obediently following after him.

"I got an envelope shoved under my door a while back. Wasn't sure what to make of it until I found out Lisa got the exact same thing."

Alex's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean? Got the same thing?"

Jackson popped the lock on his door and pulled out a folder. He handed it to Alex then settled against the car door. "I was going to keep looking into them somehow but now I'm assuming Cade is the one who gave them to me. Question is, is how did he get my phone number let alone my address."

"Did you show these to the boss?" Alex asked as he flipped through the folder.

Jackson snorted. "Of course not. As of right now there aren't too many people there I can trust."

Alex looked up. "You think there's a mole?"

Jackson shrugged as a scowl crossed his face. "How else can you explain it? There's no other way someone could get any information on me. It's not like I'm in the fucking phone book."

"I can look into it," Alex offered. "See if there's anyone working there now who has a tie to Cade. Most of the people who worked there at the time aren't there now. Our turnover rate is ridiculous."

He almost saw a flicker of a smile cross Jackson's lips. At least the man still had a sense of humor.

"Look into it. Just keep it quiet. We don't want to tip off the person helping him."

"You got it." Alex closed the folder and held it up. "You want me to keep these? Maybe you want to keep them for your scrapbook?"

"Keep them. They're not doing me any good."

Alex nodded and turned away. He raised his hand in the air as a goodbye when he reached his car. "I'll let you know what I find out," he called.

Jackson lifted his chin in acknowledgment.

* * *

"So I take it you hit a nerve?"

"More than likely," Cade replied, the smirk evident in his voice. "I knew the little bitch was the way to go. Rippner doesn't have anything else in the world that he cares enough about. Except for maybe his precious pride. I want to see the look on his face when he fails. I _wish_ I could have seen his look when Keefe was killed." He chuckled.

"They must be squirming now. The employer isn't happy. How much ass are they going to have kiss to get out of this mess?"

He heard a breathy chuckle on the other end. "I doubt it's pretty. Too many questions that they don't have any answers to. I'm surprised they haven't pulled Rippner yet."

Cade laughed again. "Oh they won't. Not yet. That would be admitting defeat and they won't let that happen. Not yet."

"Are we going to move on him?"

Cade tapped a key on his computer, his smile growing wider. "Soon. "

* * *

"This just came in sir."

Richards held his hand out to accept the papers. His scowl deepened as he perused them. "So they're making their move."

"Seems so, sir."

Richards sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Call McCalister. Tell her her services will be needed."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The second meeting with Joe went about how Jackson expected it to be. Joe was only as cordial as he had to be. Of course by the end he had begrudgingly begun to defrost. Jackson ran his hand through his hair as he unlocked his door and stepped inside. He pulled his jacket off, tugging his shirt from his pants and tossed the jacket over the back of the sofa next to him. With a sigh he sank down on the sofa and propped his feet on the table.

It wasn't imperative that Joe like him. It really didn't matter. His job didn't rely on Joe caring about him at all. And yet the conflicted part of himself thrived on making Joe like him; on making him think Jackson was suitable for his daughter.

Joe didn't trust him. It was that sixth sense that parents had that told them someone was not right for their children. He didn't want Joe to look into him anymore then he had to. His head fell back against the cushion, his eyes closed.

A ringing made his eyes open. He inhaled. He _really_ did not want to deal with anyone right now. Jackson exhaled when the ringing stopped and closed his eyes again. The phone starting ringing again. Jackson cursed and reached into his jacket pocket.

"Rippner."

"You moved quickly earlier today? Did I strike a nerve?"

Jackson's feet fell from the table as he sat up. "What do you want Cade?"

"To finish our conversation. You hung up before we could. That was very rude of you."

Jackson rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Get to the point."

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Rippner. _I _am the mastermind. You will play by my rules. If you don't . . . well, you know what I would be willing to do to your precious Miss Reisert.

"So what are you going to do Rippner?" he asked snidely. "You going to run? Or are you going to keep playing my game?"

"What are you talking about?"

Cade snickered. "Maybe you should get that."

"What-?"

A knock caused Jackson to pause. His gaze flicked to the door, the phone still held to his ear.

"Mr. Rippner?" a voice called. "MPD. We have a few questions."

Cade's laughter echoed through the receiver.

* * *

**AN:** I am so sorry it has taken so long to update this. I had plans to update three times in the last month and each time fell through. The only explanation I can give is that the inspiration wasn't there. I hope all of you can forgive me and that you liked the new chapter.

How is Jackson going to get out of this mess? Or is he? What is this going to mean for him and Lisa? Things are picking up now, aren't they?

**EmpireX**: Cade is a bit of a monster. You'll get to see more of that within the next couple chapters. And at least Joe wasn't the cock blocker in this chapter! But damn that phone!

**Oneofthosegirls: **I'm sorry it took a long time to update. I didn't realize it had but I just couldn't get inspired. But it's here! I hope you enjoyed!

**Wow101**: I am so sorry I didn't update sooner. There are times I can update regularly and then others I can't. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint!

**Billie**: Thank you very much! I'm glad that you liked it!

**May: **Thank you! It makes me happy that you like all of my stories.

**Anon:** Thank you! And it's up now. Sorry for the wait!


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